Roberto Martinez said he could not have been prouder with the way Everton battled for their first Premier League win of the season against Chelsea.
Steven Naismith’s header in first-half stoppage time ensured the Blues recorded maximum points and extended their unbeaten start to the campaign to five matches
Martinez felt Everton’s attacking play deserved more than the solitary goal – but he was particularly encouraged with the way his team defended stubbornly to record a third successive Premier League clean sheet.
Asked for his verdict on the game, Martinez said: “It’s difficult to describe. It wasn’t the perfect performance from our point of view but we showed character and all the attributes needed to be a winning side.
“We gave away two or three chances from not keeping the ball well enough but the way we reacted, took responsibility and defended was immense.
“Throughout the game, I thought we always carried a threat. Chelsea are a team that are well recognised for their defensive strength but I thought we were unfortunate not to score more than one goal.
“It was one of those performances as a manager where you couldn’t be prouder.”
Martinez also reserved praise for the Everton fans who rallied behind their team from the first whistle to the last.
He added: “It’s a win where the fans will understand that it is going to take time to be as good as we can be, but we can still win football games in the process if we are all together and support each other.
“But in terms of showing all the attributes needed to be a winning team, they were on display today by Everton.”