According to a report by Metro on Sunday, October 18, 2026, former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy has praised Chelsea wing-backs Josh Acheampong and Jorrel Hato for their performances in the Blues’ 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton.

Chelsea secured their second consecutive win since the international break at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, with Pedro Neto scoring twice in the second half to earn all three points for Xabi Alonso’s side.

The victory lifted Chelsea into the Premier League’s top four and also delivered their first clean sheet of the 2026/27 campaign.

Although Chelsea’s overall performance was not without areas for improvement, Murphy singled out Acheampong and Hato for their contributions, highlighting their composure and ability to manage the game during the second half.

Speaking during BBC’s Match of the Day analysis, Murphy described both wing-backs as terrific and praised the quality they brought to the team’s defensive performance.

The former midfielder also stressed the importance of Chelsea keeping a clean sheet after concerns about their defensive performances earlier in the season.

Murphy explained that the result would provide a significant confidence boost for the players at the back and the goalkeeper, particularly after questions had been raised about the team’s defensive reliability.

Chelsea had conceded goals regularly during the opening stages of the campaign, making Saturday’s defensive display an encouraging development for Alonso as he continues to build his team.

The Blues have now scored seven goals and conceded just once across their two matches since the international break, suggesting improvements in both their attacking and defensive play.

Despite the positive results, Alonso has urged caution, insisting that his team remains in the early stages of its development and still has areas to improve.

Chelsea will now turn their attention to their next Premier League fixture against Tottenham, with Alonso’s men hoping to maintain their recent momentum.

Murphy also discussed a controversial first-half challenge involving Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers and Everton’s James Garner near the touchline.

While the incident prompted debate over whether Rogers deserved a second yellow card, Murphy supported referee Paul Tierney’s decision to allow play to continue, describing the challenge as fair and praising both players for their conduct.

The former England international also criticised Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for his handling of Neto’s opening goal, suggesting that the England goalkeeper would be disappointed with the manner in which the ball went past him.