Everton vs Chelsea: Maurizio Sarri ‘worried’ by players’ ‘mental block’ after defeat at Goodison Park

Maurizio Sarri admitted he is “worried” by the mentality of his Chelsea players after watching his side fall to a 2-0 defeat against Everton.

Having gone seven games unbeaten, Chelsea looked to be finding their feet under the Italian after a series of humiliating results at the start of the year.

But defeat at Goodison Park has once again raised questions over this Chelsea side, with Sarri suggesting his players are suffering from a “mental block”.

“I’m worried about our mentality,” the Italian said in the wake of the loss. “I think the situation is clear. We played probably the best 45 minutes of the season then, suddenly, at the beginning of the second half, we stopped playing. I don’t know why.

“So the situation is clear. It is impossible the problem is a physical problem because if you have a physical problem, you go down gradually, not in one second.

AS IT HAPPENED: Everton down Chelsea at Goodison Park

“We played really very well until the last minute of the first half and then suddenly very badly in the first minute of the second half.

“It’s very difficult for players to explain to me the change. Very difficult for me to explain to you the change, probably it is a mental block I think.”

Richarlison nodded home a rebound following a corner in the 49th minute before earning the penalty from which Gylfi Sigurdsson scored in the 72nd, also via a rebound after his spot kick was saved by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Chelsea could have moved level on points with fourth-placed Arsenal with a victory, but instead stayed in sixth place with eight games left.

The visitors fell away in the second half, having started brightly at Goodison Park with Eden Hazard hitting the post early on.

Sarri added: “At the moment, it is our limit, I think because if we are able to play like in the first half, with consistency, I think we are in another position in the table but we have this problem.

“It is a big limit for is because we lost a similar match in Wolverhampton, today we lost so for us at the moment it’s a big limit.

“Today was really, really important for us so now we have one less opportunity but I think we have to fight to defend those opportunities.”