He The Friedkin Group era at Everton It began when Farhad Moshiri's tenure ended, with a goalless draw against a London club with aspirations to the top of the Premier League, and a strengthening of Sean Dyche's case for the stabilization work required by the new owners. Chelsea missed the chance to top the Premier League when their run of eight consecutive wins in all competitions came to an end at Goodison Park.
Enzo Maresca's insistence that Chelsea The lack of experience and pedigree for a sustained title challenge was given credence as his players toiled against a resolute Everton defence. Dyche's team had the clearest opportunities and, despite not taking advantage of any of them, left the team more satisfied at the end of a few momentous days for the club.
The opening match of Everton's new era began with atrocious weather and no respite on the pitch until Chelsea built their first significant attack after 26 minutes. Dyche's side offered control but little creativity, as is often the case, as the visitors struggled to stretch a compact Everton defence. Idrissa Gueye was an added complication for Chelsea, staying close to Cole Palmer at all times as Dyche looked to contain the playmaker who destroyed his side at Stamford Bridge last season.
Chelsea's patience was almost rewarded when Moisés Caicedo and Pedro Neto combined to finally release Palmer on the Everton left. Nicolas Jackson connected powerfully with Palmer's low cross only for Jordan Pickford to save with his legs. Malo Gusto, replaced by the left back in the absence of the suspended Marc Cucurella, headed in after the rebound.
That breakaway began a dominant streak for Maresca's team, but clear opportunities remained rare. Jackson headed against a post when Axel Disasi finished off a corner from Enzo Fernández. The ball bounced back to Gusto, whose shot was deflected wide with a light touch from Pickford. It was fortunate for the Everton goalkeeper to be able to make contact with the ball after launching himself into the challenge. Otherwise, he would have been in serious trouble.
Pickford's counterpart Robert Sanchez was only tested once before the break, deflecting an Orel Mangala shot into the bottom corner after Everton had beaten Iliman Ndiaye and Abdoulaye Doucouré.
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A series of insignificant clashes (Levi Colwill and Pickford, James Tarkowski and Jackson, Tarkowski and Fernandez, Tarkowski and Disasi) interrupted the momentum of an uneventful contest. Chelsea at least acted with greater urgency in the second half, but not with the guile or cutting edge required of a team looking to come out on top. first divisioneven if briefly. The best opening fell to Everton's Jack Harrison when Ndiaye's clever cross found him completely unmarked inside the Chelsea penalty area. Harrison had time to control and pick his spot, but couldn't beat Sanchez from close range.
Everton created another excellent opportunity to break the deadlock when two substitutes, Beto and Jesper Lindstrøm, combined with Mangala to break through the Chelsea defence. Sánchez deflected Lindstrøm's low shot towards Ndiaye, who looked certain to convert until Tosin Adarabioyo made a vital block on his goal-bound shot.
