Chelsea kept the pressure firmly on Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United with an efficient victory.
The Blues cut United's lead at the top to just two points with this win, with a virtual title decider awaiting the pair at Stamford Bridge on 26th April.
Michael Essien's 41st-minute strike was enough to smother Everton's hopes, and the Toffees have now virtually lost all hope of catching Liverpool in fourth spot - they are now five points adrift, with an inferior goal difference.
But Chelsea now know United must get something at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday - or they will be waiting to pounce a week later.
Chelsea started with purpose and possession. It took 20 minutes for Everton to even get into the visitors' box, and that was from a corner.
Chelsea showed movement and passing that Everton found it hard to cope with. Twice in the opening spell Wright-Phillips had chances, with one charged down and the other curled over.
But Everton had the first real chance when Manuel Fernandes saw a stinging free-kick palmed away by Petr Cech - the ball bouncing up alarmingly in front of the goalkeeper.
decisive breakthrough
At the other end Nicolas Anelka came in off the left flank to fire a low shot into the side-netting, before Carvalho was booked after 23 minutes for bringing down Joleon Lescott in full flow down the left.
On the half-hour, Everton were thwarted by a fine saving tackle from Essien, after Lescott had found Andrew Johnson on the penalty spot with time to work.
Wright-Phillips wasted a glorious chance when Salomon Kalou threaded a superb ball into the box for the winger to run onto.
Wright-Phillips needed to shoot first time but instead tried to drag the ball round Tim Howard, and the chance was lost.
Five minutes from the break, Chelsea made the decisive breakthrough.
precious little
Neat passing involving Kalou, Essien and Wright-Phillips ended with the ball deflecting off Phil Jagielka straight into the path of the Ghanaian - who lifted the ball into the top corner with clinical ease.
The pattern changed little after the break, with Everton trying their best but meeting stern resistence from John Terry and Carvalho.
Phil Jagielka dangerously allowed a long ball down the middle to bounce on the edge of the box, and almost headed over as Howard tried to retrieve the situation.
With Chelsea moving efficiently towards victory, Everton had to change things and Thomas Gravesen and Victor Anichebe took over from Johnson and Pienaar.
Everton at last made an impression and Fernandes produced a stunning, dipping free-kick which missed the far post by a coat of paint,
With the hosts daring to venture forward, the gaps were there for Joe Cole and Wright-Phillips to exploit.
Essien fired a dipping drive just over before Malouda replaced Joe Cole after 76 minutes.
Slowly the life was squeezed out of the hosts, with Ayegbeni Yakubu getting precious little out of Terry as the visitors clinically ran down the clock.
