Chelsea wing-backs Josh Acheampong and Jorrel Hato have earned praise from former England midfielder Danny Murphy following the Blues’ 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton on Saturday.

According to a report by Metro on Sunday, 18 October 2026, Murphy described the Chelsea duo as "terrific" after their performances helped Xabi Alonso’s side secure their first clean sheet of the 2026/27 league campaign at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Pedro Neto scored twice in the second half to seal three points for Chelsea, who climbed into the Premier League’s top four after recording consecutive victories following the international break.

The result also marked Everton’s first league defeat of the season, while Chelsea continued to show signs of improvement under Alonso.

Although the Blues have experienced defensive difficulties earlier in the campaign, Murphy believes the clean sheet will provide a significant confidence boost for the team.

"They’re improving," Murphy said while analysing the match on BBC’s Match of the Day.

"It was a big thing getting a clean sheet, there had been a lot of talk about their defensive fragility and they will be pleased to have put that to bed today."

The former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder reserved particular praise for Acheampong and Hato, highlighting their composure and ability to manage the game during the second half.

"I thought the wing-backs, Acheampong and Hato, were terrific, both of them. There was a composure about them in the second half. I thought they managed the game well and they’ve got strength in depth."

Murphy added that the result would benefit Chelsea’s defensive players and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who suffered a worrying head injury during the encounter and was taken to hospital.

"That clean sheet will do the players at the back and the goalkeeper the world of good," he said.

Chelsea manager Alonso, however, has warned against drawing firm conclusions from the team’s recent performances, insisting that his squad still has considerable room for improvement.

"We are still early days. This first part we’ve been doing good things, other things to be improved," the Spaniard said.

Chelsea will now turn their attention to their next Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, with Alonso hoping his players can maintain their momentum and build on the defensive progress shown against Everton.