Everton vs Chelsea player ratings — Neto brace hands Toffees first defeat of season

Pedro Neto scored a brace for Chelsea against Everton. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Pedro Neto scored a second-half brace as Chelsea became the first team to hand Everton defeat in the Premier League 2026-27 at the Hill-Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, October 17.

However, the match was overshadowed by a sickening injury to Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was substituted off after a sickening clash with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite which saw him stricken on the ground for close to 10 minutes.

The first half proved tempetuous, with five players earning bookings after Harrison Armstrong’s tackle on Josh Acheampong kicked things into life. However, neither side was able to find the back of the net, with Moises Caicedo’s volley against the frame of the goal as close as either side would get.

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Neto would change that less than a minute after the restart, pouncing in the box after some fine work from Jorrel Hato.

Everton was furious that Morgan Rogers was not given a red card for a foul on James Garner whilst on yellow card, but no card was forthcoming. Soon after, Martinez’s injury prompted a length delay in the game.

Neto doubled the lead in the stoppage time that delay prompted, poking home after a pinball in the box to confirm a win that takes Chelsea into fourth.

EVE vs CHE player ratings

Everton: Pickford (6.3), Maitland-Niles (6), Tarkowski (6.9), Branthwaite (6), Mykolenko (7.2), Armstrong (6.1), Garner (6.4), Rohl (6.7), Dewsbury-Hall (6.5), Grealish (6.7), Barry (6); Subs: George (6.2).

Chelsea: Martinez (7.7), Hato (7.4), Colwill (7.1), Lacroix (7.3), Acheampong (7.7), Henderson (7.5), Caicedo (7.7), Rogers (7.7), Palmer (7.5), Neto (9.3), Joao Pedro (6.8); Subs: Penders (6.6).