Chelsea causes misery for dejected Everton team after four goals from Cole Palmer.

The fact that the players who attempted to prevent Cole Palmer from scoring were wearing blue best summed up the magnitude of Everton’s collapse.

This all happened on a night when Jordan Pickford’s distribution worsened and Jarrad Branthwaite’s injury added to Sean Dyche’s despair.

However, not even Chelsea’s most convincing Premier League victory this year could escape a reminder of their immaturity.

Palmer was as confused as anyone when Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke attempted to take away a second-half penalty from him.

Palmer had scored 20 goals and provided nine assists in his first season in West London after his second hat-trick in as many home games.

The Englishman was chasing his fourth, and when the attacker scored it 5-0, normal service was resumed for Mauricio Pochettino’s team, who are three points behind sixth place.

The attention might return to Chelsea’s energy and Everton’s lackluster showing. With his first goal as a senior, Alfie Gilchrist sealed the humiliation and put Everton, two points above the drop, in danger.

Pregame briefings from Chelsea centered. First, on injuries added to an already extensive list and, second, as is customary these days, on information gleaned from their year-end financial statements.

Of course, the most concerning element was a loss of £90.1 million, but at least the pain was lessened by the sale of a few hotels from one club-affiliated organization to another.

Everton, who on Monday filed an appeal against their most recent point deduction, can only marvel at such resourcefulness.

Maybe that’s why they seemed to be motivated by a feeling of unfairness when they started this game. Everton had an energetic start and appeared to have Chelsea rattled in the first half, helped by a boisterous, furious away end.

Evertonians booed the Premier League song prior to kickoff. Chelsea should have taken the lead in the tenth minute when Séamus Coleman raced past Marc Cucurella, but Beto kneed the right-back’s strong cross over from three yards out.

Dwight McNeil forced Malo Gusto to give up a needless corner.

The player covering for the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin made a costly error. Without any quality in the last third, Palmer calmly led Chelsea into a commanding lead, and the visitors were quickly made to suffer.

Palmer treated Everton with a disrespectful demeanor while filling in for Enzo Fernández as number ten. It was tough to pin him down. Palmer was too cunning, too bold and, considering his first act of the evening was to incite a Chelsea attack with a nutmeg, too cheeky to be stopped. He was also very skilled at identifying gaps.

This player was performing at a level distinct from the rest of the players on the field. In the thirteenth minute, Gusto found Palmer, who was already buzzing with ideas while being observed by England’s number two, Steve Holland.

There was no way Branthwaite could have bothered him by pushing forward. Palmer possessed incredible skill. Good centre-back Branthwaite was nutmegged and left on the ground.

After a flick to Jackson, Palmer had time to send the ball back to him and use his left foot to direct a well-calculated shot past Pickford.

Everton was unable to reply. Five minutes later, Conor Gallagher stopped a ball that was about to go out of play, and everyone paused.

James Garner lost control as Moisés Caicedo surged ahead, and Mykhailo Mudryk arrived at the byline. Palmer headed in his second after Jackson missed and Pickford made a save.

It took thirty minutes to complete the hat-trick. Everton made the decision to attempt playing out of the back after trailing early on.

Everything was going smoothly until Pickford passed directly to Palmer, who used his right foot to lob the ball into the open net.

Everton was in over their heads. They fought for some time, with Beto having a header disallowed for offside, but they were awful anytime Chelsea attacked.

Vitaliy Mykolenko was horrified by Madueke’s speed, and it didn’t help that Ashley Young and Coleman, who manned Everton’s right wing, were 73 years old combined.

Just before halftime, Cucurella, breaking free down the left, would open up more holes when he crossed for Jackson, who had time to receive with his back to goal, turn, and beat Pickford.

Jackson tormented James Tarkowski and Branthwaite, earning himself his 10th league goal of the year. Everton was a shambles; they were jeered off at halftime. When Branthwaite hobbled off in the 55th minute, their troubles grew.

Palmer was denied by Pickford, and the agony went on. Palmer and Madueke both collapsed nearby a little while later. Paul Tierney gestured to the location, and Madueke and Jackson argued about who should receive the penalty.

Palmer was the solution, made possible by Gallagher’s intervention. As his players quarreled and Palmer gave Pickford the wrong look, Pochettino was perplexed. But Dyche had more serious issues. – Guardian.

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