According to a report by Metro on Saturday, October 17, 2026, former Chelsea winger Joe Cole criticised Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford following his performance in the Toffees’ 2-0 Premier League defeat to Chelsea at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Chelsea secured all three points through a second-half brace from Pedro Neto, but Cole questioned Pickford’s positioning during the Portuguese winger’s late goal, suggesting the England international had failed to react appropriately to the situation.

The visitors took the lead just 44 seconds after the interval when Jorrel Hato delivered a cross into the penalty area, allowing Neto to sweep the ball into the bottom-right corner beyond Pickford.

Everton attempted to respond, but Chelsea maintained their defensive organisation and limited the hosts’ opportunities to threaten their goal.

Neto eventually doubled Chelsea’s advantage in the 90th minute after a fortunate bounce from a free-kick left the ball in a dangerous position inside the penalty area. The winger took advantage of the opportunity to curl a composed finish past Pickford, securing his brace and confirming Chelsea’s victory.

Speaking after the match on Premier League Productions, Cole questioned the goalkeeper’s position before Neto scored his second goal.

The former Chelsea player suggested that Pickford appeared unprepared for the situation and may have anticipated the ball going out for a corner, leaving Neto with an unusually clear opportunity to find the net.

Cole also acknowledged that the goal involved an element of luck, as the ball fell favourably for the Chelsea winger with much of the goal available to aim at.

However, he praised Chelsea’s overall performance, particularly their defensive display, arguing that Everton had struggled to create enough clear-cut chances throughout the encounter.

Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, highlighting the importance of securing a clean sheet alongside the three points.

The Spanish manager said his players had demonstrated the discipline, organisation and composure required to win a difficult away fixture.

Alonso also explained that Chelsea had faced challenging periods during the first half, particularly when Everton applied pressure through throw-ins and corner kicks. Nevertheless, he was pleased that his players maintained their defensive shape and remained committed to their approach.

The manager added that the opening goal was crucial to determining the outcome, but maintained that Chelsea had done enough to deserve the victory.

The result strengthened Chelsea’s position in the Premier League table, moving them into fourth place, while Neto’s brace underlined his importance to Alonso’s attacking options.

Chelsea will now look to build on the performance as they prepare for their next league fixture against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.