Chelsea 2-2 Everton: Ellis Simms scores last-gasp equaliser to give Toffees valuable point

At one stage against Everton, there seemed to be so much confidence flowing through Chelsea that even Graham Potter indulged in a bit of showboating.

As a ball looped up into the air and over his head as he stood in his technical area, Potter nonchalantly leant slightly forward, let it drop and back-heel volleyed the ball into play, sending cheers around the ground.

Chelsea were in the mood and deservedly 1-0 up at the time through a fine strike from Joao Felix who also showed off some fancy footwork throughout at Stamford Bridge.

But Potter is naturally not one to get carried away.

And his rollercoaster Chelsea reign so far would only have served to support his approach and provided plenty of reminders that little should be taken for granted or is straightforward. And so it proved, painfully for Potter and Chelsea, once again.

Ellis Simms scored a last-gasp equaliser to hand Everton a crucial point away at Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday

The young forward showed immense power and poise to evade defenders and slot beyond Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga 

Everton had watched teams around them secure vital points earlier in the day and knew they needed a result in west London

Everton levelled a first time through Abdoulaye Doucoure.

And after Kai Havertz restored Chelsea’s lead again from the penalty spot, young striker Ellis Simms came off the bench to force in his first senior Everton goal to earn the Toffees another crucial point in their battle to beat the drop which they celebrated long and hard at full-time.

Simms certainly did not look like the rookie he is the way he burst past the experienced Kalidou Koulibaly and kept his cool to finish under Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Both of the Chelsea players involved will no doubt be disappointed they did not do more to prevent Simms scoring his landmark goal.

Everton’s point was the fifth they have picked up in their last three games as they begin to gain some momentum under Sean Dyche and a rare one at Chelsea where they have not won since 1994.

This one was hard-earned through a combination of their defiant defending to limit Chelsea to two goals from their 20 attempts on goal and 69 per cent possession, stats that will revive the rumblings about the Londoners’ lack of a clinical finisher.

Everton will also argue they were worthy of it too for their response to going behind twice, a situation that seemed to stir them rather than deflate.

Instead, the sense of deflation was all Chelsea and Potter’s after Everton’s late goal denied them a fourth win on the spin to take into the international break.

Potter said: ‘We lost a little bit of control for a short period of time and when we did we conceded. To be cheap with the goals we conceded was frustrating.

‘How was the dressing room? Quiet, angry, madness, disbelieving. It was all four. The boys are disappointed.’

Dyche said: ‘We’d all like to play the beautiful game, all of us including me, but you’ve got to find ways of effecting the opposition, finding ways of scoring goals and creating goals, and of course defending. That’s what we’re working on. I’m really pleased with the growing mentality.’

On last-gasp hero Simms, Dyche said: ‘We started him at Liverpool and he found it too tough. He’s maturing and he gets his reward for working hard and fighting hard.’

For 50 minutes or so, there seemed to be only one winner.

On-loan star Joao Felix gave Chelsea the lead early on in the second half as Graham Potter’s side began to dominate the affair

The Portuguese forward caused relegation-threatened Everton a host of problems with his creativity and quick feet in attack 

Chelsea signed Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid in January – after a turbulent spell for the forward in the Spanish capital 

Chelsea pinned Everton into their own half and Dyche’s men were having to work overtime to maintain concentration and protect their goal.

Chelsea’s midfield duo Enzo Fernandez and Mateo Kovacic both had early attempts, the latter, no stranger to a spectacular volley, was just off-target with one on this occasion.

The way the game was panning out was tailor-made for James Tarkowski especially, a defender who excels when its backs-to-the-wall time.

His first display of body-on-the-line defending denied Felix. It was far from his last.

Buoyed by their three successive wins ahead of Everton’s visit, Chelsea were purring without finding that decisive final, scoring touch.

Felix and Havertz and even Koulibaly drew gasps as they delighted the crowd with displays of skill.

But they really wanted was a goal which would have been a deserved reward but Tarkowski – fortunate to escape punishment for dragging back Felix – and co had other ideas, ensuring Everton reached half-time level.

Toffees midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure equalised from a corner for Everton – after a period of pressure against the hosts

Kai Havertz thought he had grabbed the winner as he coolly slotted his penalty past Jordan Pickford between the sticks

But the visitors found a crucial equaliser in the 89th minute to renew Sean Dyche’s hopes of steering Everton clear of the drop

That remained the case until Everton finally cracked when Felix squeezed a shot through Tarkowski’s legs and past Jordan Pickford into the net after Michael Keane could only half clear.

Falling behind seemed to inspire Everton who went close through Keane twice before Doucoure touched Tarkowski’s knockdown past Kepa and over the line before Havertz could clear.

Chelsea’s response was swift, Reece James being brought down firstly by Ben Godfrey and then Tarkowski to win a penalty Havertz converted and milked the moment, taunting Pickford by sticking his tongue out and waving at him playfully after the keeper’s failed attempts to put him off, the sort of celebration Potter later suggested he would advise against.

Especially when it can come back to bite as it did against Everton who were the ones smiling at full-time thanks to a moment super sub Simms will never forget.