Chelsea show strength in fight for Champions League spot with win over Everton | OneFootball

At the start of this weekend's Premier League, Chelsea did just what you'd expect from a team still fighting for a place in the next Champions League: win at home. In a 1-0 win over Everton at Stamford Bridge, the Blues took their tally to 60 points, putting the pressure on Nottingham Forest and Newcastle as the weekend continues.

The game followed a similar pattern to Enzo Maresca's season, with the Blues being more assertive in possession and controlling the attacking play. Cucurella's shot from outside the box and his finish in the opening minutes showed that Chelsea's momentum was very active in their quest for a win.

In the 27th minute, Chalobah recovered a ball that was practically lost in midfield and Enzo Fernández drove forward to find Nate Jackson in a great position to shoot firmly and beat goalkeeper Pickford, scoring the only goal of the game. This first-half scoreline was well deserved considering that the Blues went on the attack and looked to score from the first minute in front of their home fans.

Chelsea FC v Everton FC - Premier League | Warren Little/GettyImages

Shortly after the break, Carlos Alcaraz was brought on by Everton and put in another excellent performance after coming off the bench, showing once again that he deserves the investment needed to sign permanently from Flamengo. The striker was instrumental in the visitors creating many more attacking chances and the equalizer almost came in the 63rd minute, when Beto stopped a great save from Ortega.

Chelsea continued to press in a game that became more open, with the highlight being Madueke's excellent individual move that ended in a firm shot and a great save from Pickford. Before the final whistle, Everton almost equalized through a great move by Alcaraz on the left, with a cross for McNeil in the penalty area, but Sánchez made an excellent save to secure the win.

How does Chelsea's win impact Manchester City?

Chelsea's win also put extra pressure on Manchester City, who continue to suffer from unstable performances in their games, despite the fact that recent results have been mostly positive. Pep Guardiola's side will need more concentration before facing their final opponents.