How the national media viewed Everton's 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea in the Premier League and the roles referee Paul Tierney, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and striker Thierno Barry played in it

Everton's unbeaten start to the season in all competitions came to an end on Saturday as they lost 2-0 at home to Chelsea in the Premier League. A brace of goals from Pedro Neto, coming at the start and the end of the second half, did for the Blues, who must now look to bounce back next weekend when they travel to Arsenal.

It goes without saying that will be no easy task. But as Chris Beesley's big-match verdict and Connor O'Neill's player ratings for the ECHO show, Everton were not at their best against Chelsea and will need to play much better against Mikel Arteta's defending champions.

So what did the national media make of it all? Let's take a look...

Paul Joyce wrote in The Times, wrote: "The mid-point of the opening half had arrived without anything to quicken the pulse when Harrison Armstrong, a young bull looking for a china shop, decided to change all that. A clattering challenge from the Everton midfielder on Chelsea’s Josh Acheampong turned the temperature up and set a test that the visiting team have flunked on numerous occasions in this fixture in the past.

"Immediately, TNT’s cameras cut to Peter Reid in the stands and there is no doubt the former Everton hero would have appreciated the 19-year-old’s intent. Reid, of course, was never one to shirk a battle. Here, Chelsea did not either. Not only did they post a first clean sheet in the Premier League this term, and their first when winning an away game since beating Burnley last November, but in doing so uncovered something else about themselves.

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"Namely, resilience and the refusal to take a backwards step which was also needed when Emi Martínez was taken off on a stretcher in the 75th minute with a head injury. Thankfully, the Argentina goalkeeper was conscious when he left for hospital for concussion tests.

"It was a victory not without controversy given the role of Morgan Rogers in the first of two Pedro Neto’s strikes, which arrived just a minute after the interval and left Everton on course for their first defeat of the season. Rogers had been booked for dust-up with James Tarkowski, who had needlessly shoulder-barged Moises Caicedo to the turf, when he then launched himself into a shuddering collision with James Garner that left both players in a heap in the 43rd minute.

"Paul Tierney took no action against Rogers, much to Everton’s chagrin given the referee had booked Armstrong for that earlier skirmish which lit the fuse for what was, at times, a feisty tête-à-tête."

Joyce continued: "Thierno Barry has squandered more big chances than any other player so far in the top flight and he could add another to that tally in the 27th minute. It was telling that the opportunity came when Tierney penalised Martínez for holding onto the ball for longer than eight seconds after an attempt by Merlin Rohl and duly awarded Everton a corner.

"A set-piece was half-cleared to Jack Grealish whose cross found Barry six-yards out but his header went straight into Martínez’s midriff.

"Everton never had a better chance again. Indeed, they failed to force 21-year-old Premier League debutant Mike Penders into a meaningful save when he replaced Martínez, who had been on the receiving end when colliding with Jarrad Branthwaite at a free kick, for what turned out to be almost half an hour given there were 11 minutes of injury time."

Emlyn Begley, reporting for BBC Sport, wrote: "The Toffees, at kick-off, were one of three unbeaten teams in the Premier League, along with Manchester City and Brentford, although four of those six games were draws. But they could not equal their longest undefeated start to a Premier League season - when they managed three wins and four draws in their opening seven games of 2006-07.

"They did have chances with the game goalless, most notably Thierno Barry's close-range header which was straight at Martinez. Everton's only senior striker has attempted more shots than anybody else this season in the Premier League - 25 - but has only scored three times.

"There were several flashpoints in the first half, with five bookings – and Everton felt Morgan Rogers should have been given a second yellow for a 50-50 with James Garner. But once Chelsea scored, David Moyes' home side never looked like coming back, and they only had two shots in the second half."

Andy Hunter wrote in The Guardian: "There were goalkeeping problems at both ends of the field, with Jordan Pickford unconvincing for the second week in a row for Everton. David Moyes’s side edged the first half and could have legitimate complaints about Morgan Rogers avoiding a second yellow card moments before the break. But from Pickford’s weak attempt to stop Neto’s opener to Thierno Barry missing their one big chance of the contest, there were self-inflicted wounds in Everton’s first defeat of the season.

"There was more needle than quality in the first half and Rogers, already booked, was extremely fortunate to avoid a second yellow card from the referee, Paul Tierney, when leaping into a challenge with James Garner. The Chelsea forward caught the ball and the man. The tackle could be considered just as reckless as the one that brought an earlier booking for Harrison Armstrong.

"Barry wasted Everton’s best chance when heading a Jack Grealish cross straight at Martínez from close range. Another big miss from Barry was one of several recurring themes that undermined Everton’s afternoon."

And Kieran Gill, for the Daily Mail, wrote: "For Everton, this was a frustrating afternoon. They were unbeaten under David Moyes in the Premier League this season, but never truly tested Chelsea with Josh Acheampong preventing Jack Grealish from having any joy. Moyes tried bringing on Tyrique George, who may have had a point to prove against his old club, but Everton could never beat Martinez nor Penders.

"It was a performance which Chelsea can build on. This was their first game outside of London this season, and while they have an awesome attack, they showed they can win ugly with a little nastiness thrown in."