Beto nets double in Everton's 3-0 rout of beleaguered Chelsea

Chelsea's Champions League qualification hopes took a significant hit as they suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Everton on Saturday, capping off a dismal week for Liam Rosenior's side.

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The loss marked Chelsea's fourth consecutive defeat, piling pressure on Rosenior just over two months into his tenure, and came on the heels of a disappointing 8-2 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.

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Everton's Beto scored twice, leading the Toffees to a dominant win that propelled them into contention for a top-five finish, before Iliman Ndiaye sealed the victory with a stunning strike.

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The win narrowed the gap between the two teams to just two points, with Chelsea holding on to sixth place and Everton rising to seventh in the standings.

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A top-five finish is likely to guarantee Champions League football next season, given the strong performance of English teams in European competitions this year, but Chelsea's chances are rapidly dwindling.

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The Blues face a tough road ahead, with a challenging run-in after the international break, including matchups against Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool in their remaining seven games.

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Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez's error-prone performance has sparked debate over who should start in goal for the Club World Cup winners, and his mistakes were on full display against Everton.

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James Garner, fresh from his first-ever England squad call-up, delivered a brilliant pass that allowed Beto to score the opening goal in the 33rd minute, beating Sanchez with ease.

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Moments later, Jordan Pickford made a stunning save to tip over Enzo Fernández's blistering strike, highlighting the value of a top-notch goalkeeper.

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Sanchez's woes continued after the break, as he allowed Beto's fiercely struck shot to slip between his legs just after the hour mark, putting Everton up 2-0.

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Beto played a crucial role in Everton's third goal, bullying the Chelsea defence to head Pickford's long ball into the path of Iliman Ndiaye, who then blasted the ball into the top corner.

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Everton, who have struggled to find their footing in their new 53,000 capacity stadium, have now won back-to-back home league games for the first time this season, climbing within three points of neighbours Liverpool.

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Their next home game, on April 19, will be the first-ever Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, as they face off against Liverpool in a highly anticipated matchup.