DAVID MOYES' INJURY NIGHTMARE: DEWSBURY-HALL AND JACK GREALISH SCARE AFTER CHELSEA DEFEAT
Everton's loss to Chelsea came at a steep price: Moyes confirmed Jack Grealish's hamstring injury after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's early exit.
Moyes Talks Grealish Injury Scare After Everton's Loss to Chelsea
Everton manager David Moyes discussed Jack Grealish's injury scare following Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's knock during their match against Chelsea. The Toffees lost 2-0 to the Blues at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto scoring for the home side. This defeat marked Everton's sixth in the Premier League this season, dropping them to eighth place.
Palmer Shines in Chelsea's Victory
Chelsea's Palmer made a strong return from injury, scoring his first goal for the Blues since September in their 2-0 win against Everton on Saturday. Palmer opened the scoring, and Gusto then increased Chelsea's lead. Everton struggled to trouble Enzo Maresca's team, who secured their first win in five matches across all competitions.
Palmer told BBC Sport post-match, The game is never over. We had chances we missed. Overall, I'm happy with the clean sheet and our play. We know we're better with Cole. He was out for a while, but now he's back and will help us.
Maresca praised James and Gusto, who scored and assisted against Everton, saying, They're good players who can play anywhere—full-back, midfield. Gusto took his chance, assisting Cole, so I'm happy for him. Not winning every game doesn't mean we can't compete for titles. Not conceding is a team effort, from Joao Pedro's press to Alejandro Garnacho's.
Moyes Comments on Injury Concerns
Dewsbury-Hall was forced off early in the 16th minute due to injury, replaced by Carlos Alcaraz. Grealish also reported a hamstring issue after the game.
Moyes said about Grealish, Jack felt his hamstring, so we need to be careful.
Regarding Dewsbury-Hall, Moyes added, It threw us off for about 10-15 minutes. I thought we started well. We then conceded. It's tough to be too disappointed with much of what we did. But I'm disappointed we didn't win, and we have a couple of injuries. I'm not disappointed in the players' effort.
Maresca Assesses Chelsea's Performance
When discussing his team's performance against Everton, Maresca told reporters, I commend the players for performing well despite many issues after a difficult week. The last 48 hours were the worst since I joined the club because we lacked support. I'm happy for Malo, whose effort, along with the team's, shows their commitment to the club. The worst 48 hours since joining because people didn’t support the team or me. When asked if the issue was internal or related to supporters, he explained, "In general." I love the fans, and I am very happy with the fans.
Chelsea's Busy December
Chelsea has four games remaining in December, starting with a Carabao Cup quarter-final at Cardiff City on Tuesday. They will end 2025 with Premier League matches against Newcastle, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth.
CONOR GALLAGHER CONFIRMED AS "VITAL" STARTER FOR SPURS FOLLOWING BENTANCUR’S INJURY LAYOFF
Conor Gallagher proved the doubters wrong against Man City. Discover why his €40m move to Tottenham is finally paying off for Spurs.
Chelsea and Atletico Madrid both decided Conor Gallagher wasn’t worth the trouble. At Chelsea, he had his moments—Pochettino liked him, but the fans never really warmed up. When Chelsea shipped him off to Atletico, it made sense. Enzo Fernandez stepped up, took over Gallagher’s role, and fit in perfectly next to Caicedo, with Cole Palmer adding that extra spark up front.
Things didn’t get much better for Gallagher in Spain. He barely got a chance at Atleti, lost his spot in the starting eleven, and pretty much ended up on the transfer list before anyone had time to blink. Interest was lukewarm at best until the winter window rolled around. Aston Villa wanted him and went after him pretty aggressively, but then Tottenham swooped in late. Spurs needed someone to patch up the midfield after Bentancur’s injury, so they just paid up—40 million euros, no hesitation.
His start at Tottenham? Rough. Honestly, that was to be expected. He’d played well at Palace before, but after his struggles at Atleti, he needed time to adjust. Sitting on the bench in Spain didn’t do him any favours.
Then Gallagher showed up. People doubted whether he could really add creativity and move the ball forward for Spurs, so his early struggles got people worried. But then came the 2-2 draw against Manchester City. He suddenly looked like the player both Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank were so desperate to sign.
Against City, Gallagher flipped the script. He set up a crucial assist, drove play forward on the dribble, and kept drawing fouls—everything the Spurs needed. Defensively, he was all over the place in a good way: two tackles, three interceptions, a full 90 minutes, and a huge part of the Spurs clawing their way back into the game.
Tottenham fans loved it. They saw the effort, the attitude, and the hunger to win. Gallagher just wouldn’t quit, and in that second half, he, Xavi Simons, Pape Matar Sarr, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke ran the show. Four of those guys have been carrying Spurs lately, so Gallagher is fitting right in with them. That’s a pretty good sign he’s going to work out just fine in North London.
AC MILAN MEDICAL FAILURE: THE HIDDEN KNEE INJURY THAT CRUSHED MATETA’S £30M MOVE
Jean-Philippe Mateta's £30m move to AC Milan is OFF. Discover why a failed medical has put his France World Cup dreams in jeopardy.