Chelsea – Everton

A battle of the blues tonight at Stamford Bridge sees a revitalised Everton take on the might of Mourinho's champions. Can Everton extend their impressive unbeaten run to ten or will Chelsea make it third time lucky, after two draws this season with the Toffeemen?

Everton are without the injured Nigel Martyn, the cup-tied Alan Stubbs and the inexplicably suspended Duncan Ferguson. Chelsea rest Claude Makelele, who is replaced by Eidur Gudjohnsen. Glen Johnson plays at right-back with Gallas switching to the left-back position. One team has to go through this evening so the possibility of extra-time and penalties looms.

Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright has injured himself in a bizarre pre-match warm-up accident and will be replaced by 20 year old rookie Iain Turner.

Everton kick off on the now infamous Stamford Bridge 'pitch', which looks rather well watered this evening.

The victors tonight face a hardly daunting next round game against Colchester, a match both managers here will be more than confident of winning.

Everton attack down the right through Cahilll but his half-hearted shouts for a corner are ignored.

Everton on the attack again with Osman, Kilbane and Valente linking up. Play is halted when Wright-Philips catches Valente late. The resultant free-kick is played straight in to Cudicini's arms.

Johnson and Wright-Philps work the ball nicely down the right wing and Everton are forced to concede a corner. Huth's header is then saved on the line by the well-positioned Hibbert. A good chance and a good example of the importance of a man onthe post.

The pitch really is in a bad state this evening. Abramovich's billions clearly don't stretch to getting a decent gardener in.

Everton are probing down the left but Kilbane gives away a throw in.

Gallas goes on a marauding run and cuts inside to try a long range effort. Not a bad one either. Clearly Gallas is confident following his goal agains Liverpopol.

Wright-Phillips is fouled near the Everton penalty area and Lampard hits the free-kick straight through to Turner. A wasted oportunity.

Robben and Wright-Phillips have switched flanks the little tricksters.

Neville wins a crunching tackle on Lampard and tries to feed James Beattie, who is ploughing a lonely furrow up front for Moyes' men tonight.

Arjen Robben manages to stay on his feet and hits a speculative long range shot from outside the box. It goes nowhere near the Everton goal.

Corner to Everton. Arteta hits it in low but the ball bobbles up in the air before Valente gets past Huth and hits a teasing ball in to the Chelsea penalty area. Sadly for his team there is nobody there to head it home.

At the other end Weir blocks Lampard's fierce drive. Which must have stung a little.

Wright-Phillips shows why Chelsea paid so much money for him by skinning two Everton defenders and twisting towards the Everton goal before a shot which does not quite match the brilliance of the run. Very good wing play.

Lampard tries to score a free-kick from forty five yards but, once more, he wastes what was a promising position.

Robben's turn this time to cut inside from the right and hit one from the eighteen yard line. He doesn't quite catch it right though and Turner takes it easily.

Robben now turns provider by feeding Gudjohnsen who strikes the ball straight at the young keeper. He is getting a lot of touches this evening.

GOAL

A beautifully crafted goal for Chelsea. A stunning ball from Gudjohnsen to Crespo who controls it beautifully with his chest before feeding Robben who, without breaking stride, guides it past Turner. Nice one.

Pitch is till rubbish.

The ref has words with Gallas following a collision with Arteta. Everton are given the free-kick. Arteta hits a delightful ball in which Terry has to clear for a corner.

The corner is cleared out to Phil Neville who tries what a long range effort. It is very far wide.

Lampard and Robben charge down the left and the Dutchman's low shot flies just past Everton's far post. Close.

Valente is booked for a tackle on Johnson who had beaten him, although Valente looked to have won the ball.

Turner takes a high ball in to the penalty area cleanly through a crowd of players. He is playing with confidnece tonight despite conceding the goal.

It is difficult to say how Cudicini is playing at the other end because, by and large, he hasn't had to so far.

We'll see what Turner is made of now. A penalty to Chelsea and Valente is fortunate to not be dismissed as it was he who brought down Wright-Philips after a typically surging run from the diminutive winger.

GOAL

Lampard hits it low and hard and the keeper had no chance. Everton have a mountain to climb.

Chelsea smell blood. Gallas plays it to Robben, who looks like he will unleash another shot on goal, but David WEir makes an excellent tackle to deny him

GOAL

Lampard's free-kick in meets Crespo's head at the Everton near post who powers it in to the back of the net. A free-kick born on the training ground. Game over, but what does David Moyes do now?

Beattie misses a chance which he really should have scored from at the other end. Some poor control was followed by a terrible attempt to score. He has obviously not been paying attention to the lessons in finishing available to him in his team's penalty area.

Gallas is blocked by NEville but the referee curiously refuses to give the home team a free kick.

HALF TIME

A fine first half performance from Chelsea and the cushion of their lead may mean some of their players are rested. Everton have not played as badly as the scoreline suggests but just cannot cope with Chelsea's sublime football. An early goal from Everton may just make it a bit more interesting.

Maniche is on for Chelsea, McFadden and Davies for Everton. At 3-0 down, Everton have taken off their only stiker. Make of that what you will.

Phil Neville is moved back to left back as Valente has been substituted for Everton, probably to avoid a red card.

Gudjohnsen fancies a bit of the action and has been moved up front.

Everton's long balls in to the penalty area are being dealt with easily by Chelsea's defence. In Duncan Ferguson's absence they need to find another tactic.

Wright-Philips dinks in a lovely ball which nearly finds Gudjohnsen who had mae a great run in to the box.

Robben slips the ball through to Gudjohnsen who brings a great save from Iain Turner. Robben is making the headlines tonight for all the right reasons.

Phil Neville clashes heads with Wright-Phillips without being on his knees. Both men are cut but are eager to get back on with the aid of vaseline and bandages.

Cudicini aims to send Robben clear with a quick goal kick but the winger is crowded off the ball.

Robben shows some tricky footwork but Tony Hibbert does his job well, keeps his eye on the ball and wins the tackle.

McFadden's first contribution is a difficult header from behind which does not trouble Cudicini.

NEville launches a throw-in in to the area but the target of Cahill is not reached. Once more, Chelsea's defence win the high ball in to the box.

Terry and Huth are up in Everton's area now but Robben, perhaps a bit greedily, tries a cheeky shot to Turner's near post. It needed more power though and the keeper collects.

Everton are throwing midfielders forward now and the game is opening up.

Corner to Everton. Arteta again delivers it high but again Chelsea deal with it.

Chelsea nearly make it four. Johnson plays a fantastic ball between the Everton defence and keeper which Gudjohnsen throws himself at and almost scores with a diving header.

Arteta tries a similar free kick to Lampard's in the first half. Chelsea's brought a goal, this time the ball goes straight in to the waiting keeper's hands.

A mix up in the Everton defence gives Robben the chance to bear down on the Everton goal but he is tackled just as he prepares to let fly with his left boot.

Joe Cole is coming on. Not before Cahill's drive is put out for a corner though.

John Terry clears the ball and Wright-Phillips is away. He beats a couple of players and then hits a frankly bizarre shot?pass?vegetable?mineral? which drifts meekly out of play.

Robben has come off for Cole.

The corner flag is broken. Tee hee!

Joe Cole may feel he has something to prove tonight as Wright-Phillips has put in an impressive performance.

Joe Cole shows good vision to set up Maniche but some fine Everton tackling denies them. Chelsea come back for more through Lampard who nutmegs David Weir but can't finish it.

Yet another corner to Everton and it is the same old story as Chelsea head the ball to safety.

Cahill wins a challenge in the centre and from the resulting attack Robert Huth is rather harshly penalised for a handball . Penalty to Everton...

GOAL

Arteta slots the ball low in to the corner sending the keeper the wrong way. Game on? Hmmm.

Cahill is booked for a foul on Wright-Philips.

GOAL

Free-kick to Chelsea in a dangerous spot. Huth smacks it against the wall but his defensive partner, John Terry, is on hand to bury the ball home from six yards and to extinguish what little chance of an Everton comeback there may have been.

John Terry has scored nearly thirty goals for Chelsea now. Which is pretty good really.

Lampard and Wright-Phillips are still tormenting Everton and Wright-Phillips hits a good cross in from the by-line which Turner does well to intercept.

Geremi is on for Chelsea and it is the indefatigable Lampard who is taken off. Another marvellous performance from Lampard tonight.

Osman tries to launch an attack but he is met with a blue wall which he can not breach. Hopefully for Everton tonight's result will not impact on their recent good form in the Premiership.

Lee Carsley is coming as a sub for Osman . It is the first time the Irishman has played this season.

A wonderful long range shot from Wright-Phillips but Turner gets down well to parry it away.

A jinking run through the middle by Essien ends when his shot is defelcted for a corner. Geremi hits it in but Gallas could not get goal side of Hibbert to strike the ball.

A strong challenge from man mountain Huth on Arteta. Steady on lad, there's only four minutes left.

Arteta has delivered yet another corner in to Chelsea's penalty area but you know the story by now. Everton have won tonight's corner count at least.

The strength in depth Chelsea possess and the fine performances from some fringe players this evening probably explains why Chelsea are still keen to attack and want more goals.

Two minutes of injury time to be played.

Gallas has been booked but it is not particularly clear what for. As it is his fifth yellow card of the season though he earns himself a suspension.

FULL TIME

Chelsea win again. Yawn. Hopefully Barcelona will throw up more of a challenge than Everton, who could just not live with Chelsea tonight. A fine all round performance from Chelsea and Wright-Philips in particular can be pleased with his evening's work. Everton are now free to concentrate on the league, where they face Blackburn at the weekend.