Everton earned their first win of the Premier League season on Saturday as they beat Chelsea 1-0 at Goodison Park.
The decisive moment came at the end of the first half when Steven Naismith, who was celebrating his 27th birthday, headed in from close range.
Both sides went on the attack after the break to provide a thrilling spectacle, but it was the hosts who managed to hold on for the points.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report below to find out how the action unfolded.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of this evening's Premier League encounter between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park. Should be good, this one.
Looks like we'll have some team news for you shortly.
EVERTON XI: Howard; Baines, Jagielka, Distin, Coleman; Osman, Barry, Barkley, Naismith, Mirallas; Jelavic
EVERTON SUBS: Robles, Heitinga, Oviedo, Deulofeu, McCarthy, Gueye, Stones
The big team news for Everton is that Gareth Barry comes into the starting XI for his debut after joining the club on a season-long loan from Manchester City. However, James McCarthy has to settle for a place on the bench following his £13m move from Wigan Athletic.
CHELSEA XI: Cech; Cole, Terry, Luiz, Ivanovic; Ramires, Mata, Mikel, Schurrle, Hazard; Eto'o
Eclipsing the news that Barry starts for Everton is Samuel Eto'o, who makes his debut for Chelsea. John Terry comes in for Gary Cahill, while Juan Mata and Jon Obi Mikel start ahead of Frank Lampard and Oscar. Eto'o's inclusion means that Fernando Torres is named among the substitutes.
CHELSEA SUBS: Schwarzer, Essien, Lampard, Cahill, Oscar, De Bruyne, Torres
Today's other Premier League fixtures are just coming to a close and we well bring them to you as soon as they finish.
UPDATE: One match has already been played today and that was between Manchester United and Crystal Palace. The champions managed to pick up their first home win of the season thanks to a Robin van Persie penalty and a Wayne Rooney free kick.
PREMIER LEAGUE FULL-TIME RESULTS:
Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle United
Fulham 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
Hull City 1-1 Cardiff City
Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace
Stoke City 0-0 Manchester City
Sunderland 1-3 Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Norwich City
Nice to see a few goals about in the Premier League today. Let's hope for a few more tonight.
Goals haven't been too much of a problem for Chelsea this season, but Everton have struggled in the final third. They played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with Norwich City in their first match of the campaign, only to draw 0-0 West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City respectively in their next two fixtures.
If anything, Everton's indifferent form at the start of the season highlights the job that David Moyes did on Merseyside. It's far too early to be reading into results, but if Everton lose today then they will have three points from their first four games - the type of return that could well get some backs up at Goodison Park.
As for Chelsea, Jose Mourinho's men start the match unbeaten thanks to two wins and a draw. It's been a fairly harmonious second coming for the Portuguese and he will fancy his side's chances this evening.
But what about Fernando Torres? The Spaniard is on the bench tonight with Samuel Eto'o selected ahead of him. The future doesn't look particularly bright for Torres.
HEAD TO HEAD: Chelsea have had the upper hand over Everton down the years, winning 61 of their 160 meetings compared to the Toffees' 48 victories.
Chelsea took six points off Everton in the Premier League last season, winning both matches 2-1. Everton's last victory in the league came back in February 2012 as they came through 2-0 at Goodison Park.
Romelu Lukaku, who joined Everton on loan from Chelsea on deadline day, has been paraded around Goodison Park to a great ovation from both sets of fans.
The pre-match rituals have been done and it will be Everton to get this one underway. Here we go!
It's Everton who have had the better of the opening stages, passing the ball around with the kind of slick confidence you expect from a Roberto Martinez side. None of the blood and thunder of the Moyes era.
CHANCE! Great opportunity for Chelsea to take the lead as Eto'o heads over! The striker was picked out beautifully by Ramires, but he nodded over from about eight yards.
Great defending from Barry as the Everton midfielder dispossesses Mata inside the area following a mesmerising run from the Spaniard. This one is starting to come to life a bit now.
CHANCE! Everton should be ahead. Jelavic gets on the end of Naismith's cross, but the Croatian's header goes straight into the grateful arms of Cech. What an opening for the Toffees!
There's certainly a higher tempo to this match now. Both sides are blitzing forward whenever they're on the ball. Barkley in particular is showing some real class in midfield. The crowd is a bit more lively as well.
Everton earn a corner thanks to the determination of Naismith, but it's a poor one as Chelsea clear the danger.
WHOOSH! Eto'o has a crack at goal from all of 30 yards that flies high over the crossbar. At least he's not afraid to shoot.
A moment of panic inside the Everton penalty area there as the ball breaks for Mata and then Eto'o, but the hosts are alert and manage to hoof the danger away. That incident aside, Chelsea are looking a bit toothless in the final third.
The hardworking Naismith gets the home side another corner, only for Distin to climb aboive Luiz and head wide. The Frencman wants a corner, but referee Howard Webb gives a goal kick.
The match has started to get a bit scrappy in the last few minutes. Both teams are struggling to keep the ball while there are some hefty tackles flying in. The crowd have gone back into their shells a bit though.
GREAT DEFENDING! Howard messes around with the ball in the box, allowing Schurrle to gain possession and square it for Eto'o. The striker looks like he has an open goal to slot the ball into, but Barry is there to make a goal-saving block. Wonderful stuff. That's got the Everton fans going again.
HIGH AND WIDE! Mikel, who has failed to score in 183 Premier League matches, has a go from the edge of the box. It flies well off target.
CHANCE! Mirallas hustles Cole out of possession on the right side before crossing for Naismith, but the Scot scuffs the ball wide with Luiz and Terry breathing down his neck.
SAVE! Good stop from Howard, who tips Ramires's effort wide when it looked like it might have been curling into the far corner.
WIDE! Chelsea are starting to crank up the pressure. They keep the ball in and around the Everton penalty area before Schurrle shoots wide from the edge of the box. The German gets another bite of the cherry moments later, but this time he smashes the ball over the bar when he really should have done better.
The visitors fashion another opportunity as Mata whips in a devilish free kick from the left that Ivanovic heads wide. The Serbian runs back to position with the look of a man who knows that should have been on target.
CHANCE! Chelsea really are finishing the half in the ascendancy. Mata is the latest player to come close to scoring, chipping the ball over Howard and wide of the post after the ball had broken to him in the box. That would have been some goal.
One minute added time...
GOAL! EVERTON 1-0 CHELSEA (NAISMITH)
HALF TIME: EVERTON 1-0 CHELSEA
The home side lead at the break and it's Steven Naismith with the goal! The Scot has Nikica Jelavic to thank as the Croatian did well to head a cross back across goal which Naismith had the simple task of heading in. What a time to score!
You could say that goal was against the run of play as Chelsea looked to be finishing that half strongly. However, Everton have certainly played their part and have their first goal in three games.
In case you missed them earlier, here come today's Premier League results...
PREMIER LEAGUE FULL-TIME RESULTS:
Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle United
Fulham 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
Hull City 1-1 Cardiff City
Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace
Stoke City 0-0 Manchester City
Sunderland 1-3 Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Norwich City
The players are back out and it will be Chelsea to start the second half...
CLOSE! Schurrle comes within inches of getting Chelsea level, but his clipped effort goes the wrong side of the post. The away fans thought that was in!
The visitors have started this second half with a bang. Howard can only parry Hazard's shot while Eto'o scuffs the rebound wide.
Everton fail to clear a long ball forward which allow Ramires a sight of goal. However, the Brazilian scoops his effort into the hands of Howard. A cleaner connection there and he could have lopped the goalkeeper.
The home side surge forward with Naismith, but the Scot's cross is easily held by Cech. The match is starting to open up a bit more now. Jelavic then gets a chance to head at goal, but he can't get it on target.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Chelsea ring the changes as Oscar replaces Juan Mata, while Frank Lampard comes on for Andre Schurrle.
PENALTY APPEAL! Oscar is involved instantly as he goes down under the attention of two Everton defenders, but Howard Webb waves play on. That looked close.
You get the feeling that this is a critical point in the match now. Chelsea are pushing hard for an equaliser, but Everton are working incredibly hard to keep them out. Looks like James McCarthy might be coming on for his Everton debut shortly.
Chelsea win a corner, but Ivanovic greets the ball with his hand. Looked like he was trying to deceive the referee there.
SUBSTITUTION: Here comes James McCarthy, who joins the action in place of Nikica Jelavic.
CHANCE! Chelsea are getting closer. Ramires gets on the end of a cross, but he can only flick it narrowly wide. Meanwhile Fernando Torres comes on in place of Ashley Cole. What with his association with Liverpool, the Spaniard is greeted with a chorus of boos.
SAVE! Everton win a free kick around 25 yards from goal which Mirallas steps up to take. He hits the ball sweetly around the wall, only for Cech to get down low and push the danger away. Now it's Everton turn to press.
This match is pure end-to-end stuff at the moment. Both sides are attacking with plenty of pace while the respective defences are doing equally as well to keep the ball out of the net.
CHANCE! A dangerous cross from the right causes a bit of havoc in the area as Howard fails to hold onto it before Coleman clears. Eto'o was lurking with intent there.
YELLOW CARD! Coleman bursts clear of Hazard on the right before he is brought down by the Belgian on the very edge of the box. Baines takes the resulting free kick which Barry heads wide. What a finish we have in store.
WHOOSH! Luiz, who is certainly known for scoring spectacular goals, smashes one well over the crossbar from 30 yards.
YELLOW CARD! A wonderful ball from Barkley looks to have put Mirallas clear, but Luiz is there to drag him down cynically. The Everton fans want a red card, though it's not an obvious goalscoring opportunity, and another Chelsea defender was there in attendance.
Chelsea have less than five minutes of normal time to get something out of this. Can they do it? They've thrown pretty much everyone forward in search of an equaliser.
SUBSTITUTION: Steven Naismith, who could well be the match winner on his 27th birthday, is replaced by Premier League debutant John Stones.
OFF THE BAR! Baines lines up a free kick from a central position around 25 yards from goal, but his sweetly-struck effort hits the woodwork.
Three minutes added time...
SUBSTITUTION: Everton make their final change as Kevin Mirallas comes off for Gerard Deulofeu.
FULL TIME: EVERTON 1-0 CHELSEA
The full-time whistle goes and Everton have their first win of the season as they beat Chelsea 1-0 thanks to Steven Naismith's goal at the end of the first half. What a thrilling match that was!
Anyway, that's all from me for now. However, don't forget that you can check out match reports and reaction from all of today's matches right here on Sports Mole. We also have a few more live commentaries on offer this evening from various games around Europe, including Gareth Bale's potential Real Madrid debut at Villarreal. Thanks again for your company and goodnight!
Written by
Jack Prescott
Jack Prescott
