toptop

The Blues relinquish their 100 per cent away record and miss the opportunity to sit top of the Premier League table at Christmas, while the Toffees remain in the European hunt despite their failure to breach 10-men.

The hosts began the game in the more positive fashion, making a mockery of their failings on home turf this season.

However, despite Phil Neville and Marouane Fellaini keeping Petr Cech on his toes, the Chelsea rearguard was rarely threatened.

The Blues then grew in confidence as the half wore on, with Joe Cole causing panic on more than one occasion.

It was, though, on 35 minutes that the game suddenly sprang to life, with Terry dismissed for a reckless challenge on Leon Osman.

The England skipper's lunge on the Toffees midfielder was high and late, leaving referee Phil Dowd with no option but to brandish a red card.

Unsurprisingly, David Moyes' men dominated proceedings after the break, with the Chelsea goalmouth living a charmed existence.

Fellaini sent another header straight at Cech, while Tony Hibbert saw an attempted cross flick off Frank Lampard and come agonisingly close to finding the top corner.

Leighton Baines' 80th minute cross deserved a final touch, but no blue shirt was on hand to provide it.

Then, with five minutes left on the clock, Everton thought they had forced a breakthrough as Steven Pienaar bundled the ball over the line following an almighty scramble in the six-yard box.

However, the linesman's flag cut the celebrations short and both sides were forced to settle for a point after an enthralling night of action on Merseyside.

Everton were able to produce some neat movement with their enforced line-up and Cech was forced to deal with a dipping Mikel Arteta free-kick, while two Osman crosses from the right created opportunities for Tim Cahill and Fellaini in the box.

But slowly Chelsea began to take control, maintaining possession with crisp passing as they forced Everton back.

Nicolas Anelka hit a post from close range, but was adjudged to have handled in the build-up.

Chelsea had a firm grip on proceedings, but the game changed dramatically after 35 minutes when Terry was red-carded.

Referee Phil Dowd was no more than 15 yards from a Terry challenge that was high and caught Osman on the ankle. In the current climate, the official probably felt he had to act decisively.

Terry was damned because he lunged in, and his foot - and the connection with Osman - was off the ground.

Terry's last red card for a foul on Manchester City striker Jo was rescinded but he is unlikely to be so lucky this time. He is now set to miss the Christmas matches against West Brom and Fulham, plus the FA Cup tie with Southend.

Chelsea were predictably furious, and in the minutes after the flashpoint, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were booked for dissent.

Adventurous

Chelsea sent on defender Branislav Ivanovic for Joe Cole at the break, while Didier Drogba replaced Anelka.

Everton, though, must have felt that this was the best chance in eight years to register a win against the Stamford Bridge club.

But they needed to be more adventurous. Two minutes into the second period they were just that when Fellaini got on the end of a long Hibbert pass to test Cech.

But then Everton lost defender Joseph Yobo, who limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury. Leighton Baines came on after 61 minutes, with Joleon Lescott moving to central defence.

Cech had to hurl himself backwards to touch away a Hibbert cross deflected dangerously under the bar off Lampard, and a minute later Cech was needed at his best again to touch over a Joleon Lescott header.

Baines then fired in a low cross from the left, and Fellaini's flick went just wide of the far post. Arteta then curled a free-kick just over the bar.

Everton were denied a goal with five minutes left when Cech touched away an Osman shot from Fellaini's cross. The goalkeeper managed to get his hands on to the ball as it rolled towards the line, seconds before Pienaar arrived to bundle the ball home.

Referee Dowd ruled out the goal, deciding that Cech had control of the ball before it was kicked out of his hands.

Teams

Everton  Howard, Hibbert, Yobo (Baines 61), Jagielka, Lescott, Neville, Osman, Arteta, Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill
Subs Not Used Nash, Van der Meyde, Rodwell, Jutkiewicz, Gosling, Kissock
Booked 
Goals 

Chelsea  Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A. Cole, Mikel, J. Cole (Ivanovic 45), Ballack, Lampard, Deco (Bridge 88), Anelka (Drogba 45)
Subs Not Used  Cudicini, Belletti, Malouda, Kalou
Booked  Lampard, A. Cole, Ballack
Sent Off  Terry
Goals 

Attendance 35,655

Referee P. Dowd