Abdoulaye Doucure scored a screamer to help Everton produce one of the narrow football scores of the weekend in the Premier League. The Toffees, one of the six teams who have consistently competed in the Premier League since the league’s formation in 1992, spent the majority of Sunday’s first hour in the bottom three after Leicester took the lead against West Ham. But Abdoulaye Doucoure’s outstanding goal from the outside of the box (57) broke Leicester’s hearts as the Foxes joined Leeds in being demoted to the Sky Bet Championship. Kieffer Moore’s header was scrambled clear for Bournemouth, who finished in 15th position, and Matias Vina was well-saved by Jordan Pickford, but Everton held on after an endless 10 minutes of stoppage time brought on by Pickford’s hand injury.
Dyche stressed the importance of the club’s many parts working together and pulling in the same direction in his program remarks, emphasizing the bond with his seasoned fans. How the stadium erupted at the last siren. The manager of Bournemouth, Gary O’Neil, was a part of the Norwich team that fell 3-0 in the penultimate game Everton played, back in 2016. The hosts appeared to be already playing catch-up when his team shifted Everton around at the coin toss so they could attack the Gwladys Street End. In only five minutes, Jefferson Lerma skied a shot, allowing Bournemouth to impose themselves.
In the first thirty minutes, Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi were almost solely used by Everton to operate down the left, but without Dominic Calvert-Lewin, there was no one inside the six-yard box since Demarai Grey frequently gambled by settling for a deeper position. Idrissa Gueye was finally given an opportunity by Amadou Onana, but Mark Travers expertly deflected his attempt. As word of Harvey Barnes’ goal for Leicester spread, Gueye sent another spinning shot that Bournemouth’s backup custodian monitored and deflected away.
The tension increased when David Brooks’ mistimed volley from a Philip Billing corner fell at Dango Ouattara’s feet as Bournemouth attempted to take the lead. Marcos Senesi was set up for a poked shot from a tight angle that missed the far post by a hair. James Garner’s dipping shot was deflected over by Travers on the verge of halftime. Travers, who lost nine goals to Liverpool on his first trip to Merseyside back in August, was in the mood to frustrate his opponents.
At the half, Everton needed a boost, and six minutes into the second half, Grey was given the chance of a lifetime. Illya Zabarnyi’s attempted clearing hit Grey in the head as a result of Yerry Mina’s aerial presence in the Bournemouth area, but Travers got down to deflect the ball around the post. Grey needed a goal. But then it finally happened. When Doucoure hid, Gueye’s seeking ball towards Onana was about to reach the edge of the box. He centered himself before drilling the ball past the still Travers. When Goodison erupted.
With Moore now on, the Welshman created chaos when his header back across goal was punched away from the goal-line at the foot of Dominic Solanke by a combination of Pickford and Conor Coady. Everton now had to cling on as Leicester doubled their advantage over West Ham. Pickford and Solanke clashed, with the Bournemouth striker pleading with Mina to bite him during the heated altercation, and it caused a tremendous delay. The home supporters would endure a significant amount of extra time as a result.
Vina forced a fantastic save from Pickford during the ten minutes of added time following Moore’s header back across the goal. Doucoure, the lion-hearted player who extended his contract in the middle of the week, pushed forward one final time to compel Travers to make a save to keep the game alive. All of that was mercifully put to a halt by referee Stuart Attwell when a pitch invasion broke out and screams of “sack the board” poured down from those who had obeyed the instructions to stay in their seats. Everton found themselves in the same situation a year after surviving under Frank Lampard. Now the summer will be hectic.
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