The season is well under way and October has come and gone. The fixtures will become more frequent as we move into the winter months. October was not kind to Everton however. The Toffees played in three matches and were pretty well out classed in two of them. Let’s dive into the matches and go over it all.
Everton v Crystal Palace
Everton started the month in a bit of a rut. No wins in the last four matches and they had a Crystal Palace team in good form coming to Hill Dickinson stadium. It was a rough first half for Everton Palace was dictating everything in the early going. Before the first goal Tyrick Mitchell had hit the post, and Pickford made a good save on Jean-Philippe Mateta. Thierno Barry also missed a golden opportunity to put Everton in front, but not too long after that miss Palace found their breakthrough. With 37 minutes on the clock Daniel Munoz finished off a brilliant attacking move and Palace had the lead they deserved. After half David Moyes made two changes that ended up flipping the match on it’s head. He brought off Tyler Dibling and Thierno Barry, and replaced them with Beto and Charly Alcaraz. From the minute he stepped on the pitch Alcaraz looked like he was going to be the difference maker. Despite Alcaraz coming on and causing problems for Palace, Everton were lucky not to have given up two more goals in the second half. Jordan Pickford was beaten twice by the Palace attack, but one shot was cleared off the line by Jake O’Brien and the other was scuffed and sent wide by Mateta. Palace would rue these missed chances in the end. Tim Iroegbunam, anthoer second half sub was fouled in the Palace box and won Everton a penalty with just 15 minutes left to play. Iliman Ndiaye stepped up to take the penalty and made no mistake and Everton were level at one. It was looking like the match was going to end in a draw until a nice bit of passing between Alcaraz and Ndiaye lead to a great cross by Ndiaye that found Beto. Beto’s header was saved by Dean Henderson, but Jack Grealish was there to pounce on the rebound for his first goal in an Everton kit, and it ends up as the match winner.
Manchester City v Everton
After a thrilling win against Crystal Palace, Everton had to travel to Manchester City for their next match. It’s been a long time since Everton won at Manchester City. The last win coming in December of 2010. Unfortunately for the Toffees that streak did not end this season. In the first half Everton didn’t play badly, in fact they should of had the lead just 15 minutes into the match. Ndiaye put a great cross into the box and Beto just needed to get a foot on it for a tap in, but the striker couldn’t quite get his run right and he missed with an out stretched leg and the chance was missed. Beto would have a second chance not too long after that. Ndiaye did well to play him in again, but he dragged his shot wide, and Everton missed another great chance that would have put them up 2-0. There was a flurry for chances for both sides as the half was winding down. Gianluigi Donnarumma made a save on an Ndiaye attempt and Jordan Pickford made saves on Jeremey Doku and Savinho. In the second half the difference in talent between Everton and City was too much to Overcome. Everton could barley get near the ball all half long. And when you have to defend that much agasint a side like Manchester City, they will punish you eventually. City got their first goal in the 58th minute. Nico O’Reilly beat Jake O’Brien down the left wing and played a perfect cross right to Erling Haaland who was all alone in the Everton box and it was 1-0 to City. Just five minutes later City found their second goal. Savinho was played into the Everton box on a great ball by Phil Foden, Savinho was patient and picked out a wide open Haaland who’s first time finish made it 2-0 City. City cruised the rest of the way and beat Everton 2-0.
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur
Everton had one more chance to get a win to close out October with Spurs coming to Hill Dickinson Stadium. Coming into that match Spurs had not lost all season away from home, and Everton were yet to lose in their new stadium. In the end it was Spurs who kept their perfect away record and gave Everton their first defeat at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Unlike the City match Everton were never really in the match against Spurs. From the jump Tottenham was controlling every aspect of the match and Everton couldn’t get out of their own half. With 19 minutes on the clock Spurs found the breakthrough. To that point in the season Everton were the last team in the Premier League who hadn’t given up a goal off a corner. Micky Van De Ven got the last head on it after the initial ball was played deep to Rodrigo Bentancur who headed it across to the Dutchman and it was 1-0 to Spurs. Everton looked liked they had equalized just a few minutes later. Jake O’Brien had the ball in the net, but after a VAR review it was found that Ndiaye was offsides and was impeding the keeper. The goal was chalked off and it was back to 1-0 Spurs. With just about the last kick of the half Spurs found their second goal. Once again off a corner, but this time it was Porro’s delivery. Micky Van De Ven gave a little nudge to Pickford right before the header and Pickford didn’t stand a chance and it was 2-0 to Spurs. Everton had one great chance in the second half to climb back into the match. Ndiaye played the ball into the box, the angle was difficult for Beto so he goes for the bicycle kick, he makes good contact, but it was saved by Guglielmo Viacario. Spurs mostly just kicked the ball about the rest of the match until they scored the third with just a few minutes left on the clock. Everton suffered their first defeat at Hill Dickinson Stadium 3-0
It was a pretty rocky month for Everton. missed chances from the strikers haunted Everton once again as the club still look for an answer from a striker who can put the ball in the net. Everton have a bit more of a favorable month of November so the club have to start picking up some wins before another tough run of matches in December.
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