Fans blast fireworks by Chelsea hotel before Everton game

Fireworks were set off outside the Chelsea team hotel overnight ahead of their crunch clash with Everton.

Thomas Tuchel and his squad are believed to be staying at the Hilton in Liverpool, where an unexpected middle-of-the-night firework display was held just hours before they’re set to take on Frank Lampard’s Toffees.

A video shared to social media showed a significant amount of explosions which reportedly lasted for more than an hour and a half between 1am and 3am. Loud bangs could be heard from inside the hotel in a separate clip also posted in the early hours of the morning.

Ahead of kick-off, Chelsea midfielder Jorginho told Sky Sports: “It was a bit noisy. I woke up and was like ‘what’s going on’. But we were aware that it could happen and we just tried to sleep again to be ready for today.”

The Premier League meeting at Goodison Park is one of six crucial games left for Everton this season with their top-flight status hanging in the balance. They currently occupy the final relegation spot in 18th in the table.

Both Burnley, who beat Watford 2-1 on Saturday (April 30), and Leeds are five points above them as it stands, but they have each played two more games.

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Chelsea, meanwhile, are sitting relatively pretty in third place, but still need points on the board to secure Champions League qualification for next season.

It’ll be will be the first time their club legend Lampard has faced them since he was sacked as their manager in January 2021, with Tuchel replacing him shortly after.

The former England international has failed to turn around their fortunes so far since joining them this January. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, he said: “I see a group here at Everton that are really good lads trying to stay in the league.

“We need to keep that spirit because spirit in football is a huge thing. At the minute the lads are very together and fighting together and I need to lead that.”