Chelsea beat Everton to boost Champions League hopes

Chelsea boosted their bid to qualify for the Champions League as Nicolas Jackson ended his 13-game goal drought to seal a crucial 1-0 victory over Everton on Saturday.

Jackson struck in the first half at Stamford Bridge, scoring for the first time since December. The Senegalese 10th goal of the season proved enough to lift Enzo Maresca’s side into fourth place in the Premier League standings.

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The Blues’ second successive league win was key to their push for a top-five finish. Chelsea could drop back to fifth place if Newcastle beat third-bottom Ipswich later on Saturday, but Jackson’s decisive strike ensured they remain firmly in the hunt to return to Europe’s elite competition, with four matches remaining.

Despite the important result, it was another tense afternoon for Maresca, who has faced criticism over his conservative tactics during his first season in charge. The Italian insisted this week that his tenure should not be seen as a failure despite mounting frustration from supporters.

Maresca, who barely acknowledged last weekend’s 2-1 win at Fulham, again cut a reserved figure at full-time. His cautious game plans have drawn jeers from fans on several occasions this season.

Nevertheless, Maresca has defended his work, reminding critics that Chelsea only finished sixth under his predecessor, Mauricio Pochettino, last season.

While Chelsea are still not firing on all cylinders, an encouraging finish to the campaign remains within reach as they target Champions League qualification and a potential UEFA Conference League triumph.