Chelsea's third defeat in five league outings made it their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign and worst since 1988/89 when they failed to win any of their opening six Divison Two encounters.
John Obi Mikel was handed his first league start since the final day of last season, and only his third of the calendar year, while skipper John Terry partnered Kurt Zouma at the back; Gary Cahill rested following his international exertions for England against San Marino and Switzerland.
Roberto Martinez was forced into making a change inside nine minutes after Muhamed Besic injured a hamstring. But little did he or the Toffees' faithful know what an instant impact his replacement would make. Steven Naismith - who scored the only goal the last time Everton beat Chelsea - had bagged a brace by the 22-minute mark, nodding home Brendan Galloway's cross before lashing in from 20 yards.
Naismith's second was the 11th goal the champions had leaked in just five league games, more than any other Premier League outfit in 2015/16. But the visitors were handed a lifeline 10 minutes before the break; Nemanja Matic taking aim from 30 yards and slamming the ball past a helpless Tim Howard.
Chelsea finished the first half with a flourish but couldn't force home an equaliser, and little changed after the interval as the Toffees fought hard to protect their advantage. By full-time, they had made seven blocks in front of goal and eight blocks to cut out Branislav Ivanovic's crosses from the right flank.
And their hard work was rewarded eight minutes from the end; another impressice piece of build-up play finished off by Naismith for his perfect hat-trick, the Scot scoring three times from three attempts.
A first home win for Everton since April 's 3-0 thrashing of Manchester United, and one achieved despite recording just 38% possession. Jose Mourinho's title-holders already have a mountain to climb.
Match facts
- Steven Naismith has now scored 6 Premier League goals against Chelsea; 4 more than against any other side.
- Naismith has scored in 3 different Premier League games against a Jose Mourinho Chelsea side – more often than any other player.
- Naismith was the sixth player to score a hat-trick after coming on as a sub in a Premier League game and the first since Lukaku (5-5 vs Manchester United) in May 2013.
- He also became only the fifth player to score a Premier League hat-trick against Chelsea and the first since Robin van Persie in October 2011.
- Cesc Fabregas hasn’t scored or assisted in any of his last 6 Premier League appearances – his longest run in the competition without a goal involvement since a 9-game run in 2007.
- This is the first time that Jose Mourinho has lost 2 successive Premier League since May 2006.
- In their last 7 Premier League games, Chelsea have conceded 16 goals – 1 more than they conceded in the whole of Mourinho’s first Premier League season in charge of the Blues in 2004/05 (15).
- The last time that Chelsea had a worse start to a top-flight season was in 1986/87 (three points – P5 W0 D3 L2). They finished that season in 14th position.
- Chelsea have already equalled their tally of defeats from the whole of 2014/15 (3) in after 5 games of 2015/16.
- Chelsea have lost 4 of their last 7 Premier League games – they had only lost 4 of their previous 44 Premier League games before this run.
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