Nicolas Jackson finds form at just the right time as Chelsea edge closer to Champions League

Chelsea 1-0 Everton: The striker ended his goal drought to edge Enzo Maresca’s men closer to a top-five finish

Nicolas Jackson ended his long goal drought to fire Chelsea a step nearer to the Champions League with a 1-0 win against Everton at Stamford Bridge.

A dominant display was capped by the winning goal scored midway through the first half, the striker’s first since 15 December finished confidently from 20 yards past Jordan Pickford as though he had been scoring every week, as suspended head coach Enzo Maresca watched from the stands.

The Italian’s lively celebrations following Pedro Neto’s last-gasp winner at Fulham a week ago had earned him a third yellow card of the season, but his exuberance will feel justified if, as looks increasingly possible, Chelsea go the distance in the race for the top five.

This win, which would have been greater but for an inspired individual display by Pickford, was Chelsea’s third in five in the Premier League and ensured they will see out the weekend in the Champions League places.

They dominated virtually throughout. Early on, Marc Cucurella linked up on the left with Noni Madueke who dashed forward and drew the first in a showreel of saves from Pickford.

Romeo Lavia made his first start since mid-January and in the first half Chelsea enjoyed near-total control of midfield as a result, moving the ball with urgency in the Everton half and displaying an aggression off the ball that has been seen too infrequently in recent months.

It was through just such pestering that they went in front. Pickford’s clearance put Beto under pressure, and facing his own goal he was dispossessed by the probing boot of Trevoh Chalobah. Enzo Fernandez picked up the bits on 27 minutes, threading the ball up to Jackson who turned on the spot and took a confident stride forward before sending a delightful finish into the corner.

Nicolas Jackson fired Chelsea to victory against Everton (REUTERS)

Everton had had virtually no attacking presence. Their only chance off the half came in the closing minutes when Abdoulaye Doucoure failed to make proper contact with Vitalii Mykolenko’s cross, skewing his header hopelessly wide.

Pickford foiled Madueke for a second time just after the restart, turning the winger’s close-range drive away with his boot at the near post.

Chelsea’s own goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had been under fire, still deemed in some sections of the home support to be too erratic to command either the shirt or his penalty area. He repaid Maresca’s continued faith with an impressive save to keep out Beto midway through the second half, diving at full stretch to his right and throwing a firm hand behind the striker’s bullet effort.

Madueke vs Pickford resumed for a third bout, the Everton goalkeeper producing the save of the match to claw his England teammate’s low curler away from the corner.

Jackson put the ball in the net for a second time but was ruled offside after Pickford beat out Cucurella’s drive, then Sanchez made his own contribution to what had been an excellent exhibition of goalkeeping to deny Dwight McNeil.

PA