While Chelsea might have looked like they had turned a real corner since opening March, the Blues came crashing back down to earth on Saturday evening as they had to settle for a 2-2 draw at home against Everton.
Although Graham Potter’s side might have opened the scoring just seven minutes after the half-time break as Joao Felix bagged his second goal since arriving at Stamford Bridge back in January, the ex-Brighton boss saw his side suffer a major second-half collapse.
Despite Kai Havertz converting from the spot just moments after Abdoulaye Doucoure bundled over the line from close range, Chelsea were eventually left heartbroken as 21-year-old Ellis Simms made a famous cameo appearance off the bench.
Slotting past Kepa Arrizabalaga just seconds before heading into injury-time, there is no doubt that fans around west London will know that their side missed out on a golden opportunity here.
Watching their three-match winning run come to a last-gasp end in the capital, what were the main talking points from Saturday’s showdown at Stamford Bridge?
The final nail in Chelsea’s European coffin?
While Potter might have endured a rather public nightmare in west London since arriving from Brighton back in September, it had appeared that Saturday’s hosts had turned a major corner since opening March.
Putting in a stellar Champions League second-leg display earlier in the month as they punched their quarter-final ticket thanks to a 2-0 victory against German giants Borussia Dortmund, the Blues were in the midst of a three-match winning run.
Likewise, claiming back-to-back Premier League victories against Leicester and Leeds since getting March underway, there was certainly an air of optimism growing in Potter’s camp.
However, crashing back down to earth here and knowing that they were seconds away from claiming what could have been a crucial win on home soil, questions will once again be asked for Potter.
Heading into the international break on a sour note, the former Brighton boss will also know that his side faces a real possibility of entirely missing out on European football for next season.
With it looking like all of their eggs…
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