Chelsea 3 Everton 1: Daniel Sturridge, John Terry and Ramires on target

15 October 2011 20:02
Chelsea showed there really might be no place like home as they finally ended their Everton hoodoo to maintain their 100 per cent record at Stamford Bridge this season.   [LNB]The Blues' recent results against Everton on their own ground might have been reason enough for them to want to move to a new stadium, but they swept to their first victory over their bogey side since the 2009 FA Cup final.   [LNB]Everton had also not lost on their previous five league visits to Stamford Bridge, although they had not had to contend with Juan Mata, who was Chelsea's inspiration.   [LNB] Back of the net: Daniel Sturridge (left) heads in the opening goal past Tim Howard[LNB] [LNB] Heavens above: Chelsea's young English striker (centre) celebrates his latest strike[LNB][LNB] [LNB]MATCH FACTS Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Mikel (Romeu 76), Lampard, Ramires (Malouda 65), Sturridge, Drogba, Mata (Anelka 76).[LNB]Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Meireles, Lukaku, Alex.[LNB]Booked: Cole, Sturridge.[LNB]Goals: Sturridge 31,Terry 45,Ramires 61.[LNB]Everton:Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman (Drenthe 61), Fellaini, Rodwell, Osman, Cahill (Neville 72), Saha (Vellios 80).[LNB]Subs Not Used: Mucha, Heitinga, Bilyaletdinov, Stracqualursi.[LNB]Booked: Fellaini,Baines.[LNB]Goals: Vellios 81.[LNB]Attendance: 41,789[LNB]Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).[LNB]The Spain winger started the move that broke the deadlock - Daniel Sturridge nodding home his fourth goal of the season - and laid on the third for Ramires after John Terry scored on his 350th Premier League appearance.   [LNB]There was to be no clean sheet for the Chelsea captain, with Apostolos Vellios grabbing a late consolation with his first touch after coming off the bench.   [LNB]The win nevertheless saw Andre Villas-Boas' men capitalise on Manchester United's draw at Liverpool and put them back within three points of new leaders Manchester City.   [LNB]It was Chelsea's first match since they announced their bid to buy back the freehold of Stamford Bridge, which they sold to a supporter-led group - Chelsea Pitch Owners - in the 1990s.   [LNB]Opponents of their proposal, which has been seen as a precursor to a move to a new stadium, distributed leaflets before the game in the hope of rallying support.   [LNB]The visitors might have been tempted to back the 'Say No CPO' campaign themselves so impressive was their record at Stamford Bridge, and they looked set to extend it in the opening half hour as Chelsea toiled.   [LNB] [LNB] Rising high: John Terry leaps above the Everton defence to head home the second goal[LNB] [LNB] Sit down on the job: Terry celebrates scoring Chelsea's second on the stroke of half time[LNB]Didier Drogba almost played Ramires clean through but Sylvain Distin intervened, while Everton showed their threat on the break when Louis Saha fired straight at Petr Cech.   [LNB]Marouane Fellaini was booked for catching Ramires in the 16th minute but he might have given the otherwise well-drilled visitors the lead five minutes later, a heavy touch allowing John Obi Mikel to intercept.   [LNB]Chelsea were crying out for some inspiration and when it finally arrived in the 31st minute, the source was no surprise.  [LNB] Close range: Ramires (left) beats Leighton Baines (right) to the ball and stabs home[LNB][LNB] [LNB] Deadly combination: Ramires and Juan Mata [LNB]Mata brilliantly picked out Ashley Cole's surge into the box and the left-back stood up a first-time cross which Sturridge simply could not fail to nod into the net.   [LNB]Everton continued to look more than capable of scoring themselves, but were undone again in first-half stoppage-time when Seamus Coleman fouled Cole and Terry beat Tim Howard to nod home Frank Lampard's free-kick.   [LNB]Leon Osman almost pulled a goal back straight after the restart with a shot that shaved the outside of the post, but with the comfort of a two-goal lead, Chelsea soon began putting together some lovely passages of play.   [LNB]Drogba inexplicably stopped running when Jose Bosingwa looked set to put the ball on a plate for the striker and although Osman drilled over, Everton boss David Moyes decided to act, withdrawing Coleman for Royston Drenthe just past the hour mark.   [LNB]No sooner had he done so and it was game over, a sweeping Chelsea move seeing Mata exchange passes with Drogba before sending in a low cross which was inch-perfect for Ramires to slide home.   Ramires appeared to hurt himself beating two defenders to the ball and had to be helped from the field after the restart, with Florent Malouda coming on.   [LNB] Impact: Apostolos Vellios (left) scored after just 18 seconds on the pitch[LNB] Sturridge was then controversially booked for diving when challenged by Drenthe, the striker open-mouthed in disbelief at the verdict.  [LNB]Everton brought on club captain Phil Neville for Cahill and Chelsea responded soon after by withdrawing Mikel and the outstanding Mata for Oriol Romeu and Nicolas Anelka.   [LNB] On the slide: Everton striker Louis Saha (second left) is tackled by Frank Lampard (right)[LNB] [LNB] Catch me if you can: Didier Drogba (centre) fights for the ball with Phil Jagielka (left)[LNB] [LNB]The Blues were in cruise control but were denied their first clean sheet since the opening day of the league season when Moyes threw on Vellios for Saha nine minutes from time and watched the substitute immediately slide home Drenthe's cross.   [LNB]It was merely a consolation and Lampard might have made it 4-1 in stoppage-time when he volleyed Drogba's chest down straight at Howard.[LNB] PREMIER LEAGUE LIVE: All the action from around the grounds as it happenedAbramovich would not make a penny from sale of Stamford Bridge, insists Chelsea chairmanReferees are ruining the image of football, blasts Everton boss MoyesAll the latest Chelsea news, features and opinionAll the latest Everton news, features and opinion[LNB] [LNB]

Source: Daily_Mail