Pedro Neto brace lifts Chelsea into top four as Emi Martinez stretchered off at Everton

Pedro Neto’s second-half brace gave Chelsea a 2-0 win at Goodison Park on Sunday, ending Everton’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season and lifting Enzo Maresca’s side into the top four — though the afternoon was dominated by a serious injury to goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

Martinez clashed with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as both challenged for a set piece, and the concern on the faces of those nearby was immediate. While Branthwaite was able to continue after prolonged treatment, the Argentine remained on the ground with several medical staff attending to him before being carried off on a stretcher to a round of applause, with substitute Mike Prenders coming on to replace him.

David Moyes’ side had gone into the lunchtime fixture having won two and drawn four of their opening six games, but Chelsea — who had lost back-to-back away fixtures at Arsenal and Brentford since their opening-day win over Fulham — produced a composed performance to end that run.

The first half offered little in the way of quality, though Moises Caicedo came agonisingly close to a Goal of the Season contender, volleying a corner first time from the back post only to see his effort crash against the bar. At the other end, Martinez — before his injury — had to be alert to tip over a Jack Grealish effort.

Chelsea needed just 44 seconds of the second half to break the deadlock. Jorrel Hato drove into the Everton box and his cross found Neto, whose finish into the bottom corner beat Jordan Pickford, who could only get a hand to it.

Pickford kept the deficit to one with a sharp stop to deny Joao Pedro a second goal as Chelsea broke on the counter, but Neto wrapped up the points in the 90th minute with an opportunistic strike, reacting quickest to a blocked free-kick to seal his brace.

The win marked a tactical shift for Chelsea, who had previously relied on high-scoring affairs — beating Fulham 3-2 and Brighton 4-3 — but here showed a more measured, controlled approach to see out the three points. It also ended a troubling away record for the club, with the victory their first on the road since the opening weekend of the season.