Premier League: A small Chelsea wins at the opening on the lawn of Everton (0-1)

At the head of a valiant Everton team, Frank Lampard will have done everything to try to overthrow Chelsea, his opponent of the day and his club forever. For this first day of the Premier League, the former captain of the Blues appeared at Goodison Park this Saturday with a transfigured attack, because deprived of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, injured in pre-season, and Richarlison, left for Tottenham in stream of summer. The Toffees manager therefore had to resolve to deploy a particularly defensive eleven, and a game plan based on the counter-attack. Everton only bent on an error by Abdoulaye Doucouré, guilty of a foul on Ben Chilwell before the break, allowing Chelsea to register a penalty through the expert of the exercise, Jorginho. Final score: 1 to 0 for the visitors.

Arrived as favorites in the lair of the Toffees, the players of Thomas Tuchel struggled to develop their game, Kai Havertz showing himself in particular in great difficulty at the forefront of the attack of the Blues. Great positive point however for the German tactician: Kalidou Koulibaly. The Senegalese defender, who arrived this summer on the banks of the Thames from Naples, simply dominated the game, as much by his physical presence as by his intelligence of play and placement. With their new rock at the back, Chelsea seemed insurmountable, completing a back base already made up of Thiago Silva, César Azpilicueta, and Edouard Mendy: just that.

Everton cursed with Injuries

Significantly impacted by the absence of certain executives (Andros Townsend, Séamus Coleman, DLC, André Gomes, etc.), Everton lost two new players during this meeting. First the English central defender Ben Godfrey, released on a stretcher after a quarter of an hour of play, and long minutes spent on the ground. Guilty of a poorly controlled back pass, he worked to make up for his mistake, seriously injuring himself during his tackle. After 70 minutes of play, it was the Colombian tower Yerry Mina who in turn had to leave his side, collapsing alone on the ground while keeping his left foot.

Franck Lampard will have to deal with a reduced workforce against Aston Villa of his great rival Steven Gerrard, during the second day of the championship on August 13. As for Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel will have the obligation to resolve the question of the center forward, as the attack of the Blues seemed inoffensive this Saturday. For this against rival Tottenham on August 14, he can count on the offensive entrants of the day, particularly prominent, namely Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Without forgetting the latest arrival from the London club, the Spanish side Marc Cucurella, who entered in the 75th minute, whose offensive contribution was easily noticed at Goodison Park.