Everton Player Ratings vs Chelsea: Mykolenko 7, Garner 6

Everton's wait for a first Premier League win of the season goes on. Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium left David Moyes' side second-bottom of the Premier League on three points from seven games - still searching for that elusive victory. For long spells this was a scrappy, cautious contest short on clear chances at either end. But Enzo Maresca's Chelsea found the quality when it mattered. Moisés Caicedo pounced eight minutes from time after Jordan Pickford could only parry a low cross into his path, and the tireless Pedro Neto sealed it in the 90th minute, finishing emphatically after Marc Cucurella's cut-back. A familiar story, then: honest effort, not enough end product, and another long trudge home for the travelling Blues. Our player ratings from Hill Dickinson Stadium tell the tale - Mykolenko Gets 7, Garner With 6 | Everton Players Rated In Disappointing Loss Vs Chelsea.

The Ratings Verdict: Mykolenko Stands Tall, Garner Grinds

The Top Performer: Mykolenko (7)

Vitalii Mykolenko produced the sort of performance that should not end in a losing dressing room. The Ukrainian left-back landed man-of-the-match honours from this writer - and a 7 in a beaten side is worth more than a 7 in a routine win, because the margins were slimmer and the pressure heavier on Merseyside. He won his individual duels with conviction, repeatedly shut down Chelsea's right-sided raiders, and, as he has done all season, pushed forward to offer a genuine outlet down the flank. Mykolenko led all Everton players for expected assists per 90 minutes in 2025/26, per Sofascore - one of the few Blues creating anything in the final third. Honest critique: he gambled high on a couple of second-half overlaps and was turned once or twice in behind as Everton chased the game. Still, he was the best of the bunch. No debate.

The Engine Room: Garner (6)

James Garner gets a solid 6 - and that sums up his afternoon perfectly: industry galore, incisiveness in short supply. The midfielder covered every blade of grass, recycled possession tidily and took on set-piece duty with reasonable delivery. But Everton's problem this season is goals, desperation and creativity in the final third; Garner offered plenty of the first two and not enough of the last. His battle with Caicedo and company in midfield was a real scrap, and he gave as good as he got. The telling ball, though - the pass that splits a defence - never arrived. Good, honest, not quite good enough.

📊 3 points from 7 games in 2025/26 - Everton are still waiting for their winner of any Premier League match this season after three straight reverses, and the pressure on David Moyes is only mounting.

The Rest of the XI: Who Sank and Who Survived

A tight, scannable rundown of the rest, grouped by tier - and one caution: numbers are doing the heavy lifting, so take everything below with the usual pinch of subjectivity. Pickford (6) produced another fine save before the break and could do little about either goal; Tarkowski (6) was dominant in the air but booked on a nervy afternoon; Keane (5) was solid enough until the game stretched. O'Brien (5) worked hard but was caught out of position for Chelsea's opener; Gueye (5) snapped into tackles but tired badly late on. Beto (5) won his share of headers but remains starved of service up top.