Everton Dent Chelsea's Top Four Hopes

After going eight games without a home win in the Premiership, Merseyside's other side took a bitta pressure off their crosstown rivals by cramping a challenger's action.

Everton spent most of the first half 45 on their heels but put together a second half outta nowhere to please the faithful at Goodison Park and stun Chelsea, 2-0.

And it's good when that crowd's pleased.

 

Just ask any player who's ever left of their own accord.

Wayne Rooney to Manchester United, for instance. Dude was never really forgiven until he returned when the Reds essentially put him out to pasture.

The recipient of Toffee Nation's wrath in this one was Ross Barkley. The notion that he left for a cut-rate contract at Chelsea was enough to earn him a chorus of abuse. Hearing this, Eden Hazard figured what the hell and went into sarcasm mode:

 

Duly inspired to push the razzing back in Toff faces, Chelsea completely dominated the first half and should've capitalized on a couple of occasions.

Hazard was the main culprit, squandering gifts as if more would come, but one can never assume in football, much less anything else in life.

Unless you're Ross Barkley.

 

Full marks to Everton 'keeper Jordan Pickford, who managed to keep the clean sheet in a one-sided half and make what was to come a three-point possibility.

It only took three minutes after the break for Richarlison to capitalize on a rebound from a poor Kepa Arrizabalaga clearance, and Everton had claimed the advantage:

 

Meanwhile, Chelsea kept firing blanks. It ultimately cost them.

In the 72nd minute, Marcos Alonso fouled Richarlison in the box to the extent that a penalty was on the cards.

Gylfi Sigurðsson -- the pride of Iceland -- stepped up, but Kepa saved it. However, dude couldn't parry the ball away from danger. It rebounded back to Sigurðsson, who wasn't gonna be denied twice:

 

The setback puts Maurizio Sarri's crew what amounts to a full game outta the final Top four spot:

With only eight matches left and two clubs to leap over, that's reason for concern if they were projecting a Champions League windfall in next season's budget.