Everton claimed a massive victory in their pursuit of European football as Chelsea capped a miserable seven days with a 3-0 defeat at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Chelsea headed to Merseyside on the back of three straight losses, with humblings in both legs of their Champions League last-16 tie with holders Paris Saint-Germain coming either side of a frustrating 1-0 home reverse at the hands of Newcastle United.
Everton’s poor home form seemingly presented Chelsea with a chance to rediscover some positive momentum, but they were outplayed from the first minute as the Toffees moved within two points of Liam Rosenior’s sixth-placed side, who missed the chance to leapfrog both Liverpool and Aston Villa into fourth in the Premier League.
Beto’s superb 33rd-minute finish opened the scoring, before a goalkeeper error from Robert Sanchez enabled the Everton striker to double his tally.
Illiman Ndiaye had the final say with an outstanding curling effort after more excellent forward play from Beto, who left the pitch to a standing ovation after inspiring David Moyes’ men to a victory that will give Everton fans further reason to dream of a first European campaign since 2017-18.
Everton pile misery on Chelsea
Sanchez did little to inspire confidence early on and was fortunate not to be robbed of possession by Beto in the ninth minute after the Spaniard dithered on the ball.
Everton continued to display greater energy, albeit without really testing Sanchez, and their reward came when Beto timed his run brilliantly to latch onto a superb throughball from Garner.
Sanchez had no answer to Beto’s perfectly judged dinked finish, though, not for the first time, Everton were grateful to their goalkeeper for preserving that lead.
Jordan Pickford looked as if he might cost his side a goal when he palmed a corner straight into the path of Enzo Fernandez, but he displayed brilliant positioning and reactions to subsequently turn the Argentinian’s fierce effort over the bar.
Pickford frustrated Fernandez again in the second half as he was equal to a low curling strike, and the difference in the two keepers was illustrated two minutes after the hour.
Beto still had work to do after Idrissa Gana Gueye played the ball into him on the right-hand side of the area, but he was given a significant assist by Sanchez, who allowed his low shot to squirm over the line.
There were further heroics from Pickford as he tipped a corner from Estevao over, but any hope of a fightback was put to bed as Beto flicked the ball into the path of Ndiaye, who left Sanchez with no chance with an unerring strike into the top-right corner.
What does the result mean for Everton and Chelsea?
With the possibility that sixth place could deliver Champions League football if Aston Villa win the Europa League, Everton fans will be forgiven for believing they could feature on Europe’s biggest stage next season.
In addition to being just two points behind Chelsea, Moyes’ side are only three points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool, whom they face in their next home game in the first Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson on April 19.
That games comes eight days after Everton visit Brentford in a meeting of two surprise European challengers.
For now, Everton can enjoy the international break safe in the knowledge they have a huge opportunity ahead of them in the coming weeks.
Chelsea boss Rosenior, by contrast, will be left to stew over four straight defeats, a run that many will expect to be extended given the fixtures the Blues have ahead of them next month.
They have an FA Cup quarter-final against League One strugglers Port Vale on April 4, but with three of their final seven games coming against sides in the top six (Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool), the prospect of Chelsea missing out on the Champions League is becoming an increasingly distinct one.
