Tempers flare as Chelsea and Everton stars come to blows in feisty first half

The Blues visited the Hill Dickinson Stadium in the early kick-off to raise the curtain on the Premier League weekend.

And it was immediately a feisty affair. Harrison Armstrong was shown the first booking of the afternoon with 23 minutes played after clattering into Josh Acheampong, who himself was booked less than ten minutes later. Pedro Neto also had his name taken for dissent early on.

But tempers flared just after the half-hour mark as Tarkowski shoved Moises Caicedo to the ground just outside the Chelsea box and his team-mates rushed to his aid.

Rogers was first on the scene to confront the Toffees’ veteran centre-back, before Jordan Henderson also arrived to give him a piece of his mind.

Morgan Rogers confronts James Tarkowski

Getty

Referee Paul Tierney was at the centre of the action in the first half of Everton vs Chelsea

Getty

A brief melee ensued, involving players from both sides, but it was quickly dispersed by referee Paul Tierney.

Tarkowski was booked the part he played in the incident, and Rogers also had his name taken.

Rogers later threw himself into a fifty-fifty with James Garner which left both men requiring treatment, but VAR quickly cleared the incident.

Rogers is quickly gaining a reputation as something of a hothead. Before the international break, he had a high-profile difference of opinion with Declan Rice after the ARsenal midfielder appeared to trip him off the ball at the Emirates.

His four goals and one assist in six league appearances, though, has been enough to clear his name.