Finally, after a three‑week lay‑off, Everton returned to Premier League action once again. With both Everton and hosts Brentford forced to watch the European football coverage from a distance, both are keen to take part themselves next year. The Toffees travelled to the G‑tech to face the team who sit a place above them – only due to a superior goal difference. David Moyes made just one change since the demolition of Chelsea, with Jarrad Branthwaite called upon in place of Michael Keane.
Everton could not have got off to a worse start. With only a few minutes on the clock, a long kick upfield by the Brentford goalkeeper bounced over Branthwaite – who was occupied by Igor Thiago – and ran through towards Dango Ouattara, who flicked it on to Kevin Schade. The pacy attacker was brought down by Jordan Pickford as he attempted to round the goalkeeper. Igor Thiago stepped up and slotted in to fire his side into an early lead.
David Moyes’s men looked to bounce back, but Brentford looked comfortable as the visitors were unable to craft any real chances. Just before the 20‑minute mark, Branthwaite took matters into his own hands and moved into midfield under no pressure from his opponents. He launched a strike with his left and produced plenty of power, but it whistled wide. The chance did seem to be a catalyst for more, as mere minutes later, Caoimhin Kelleher was forced into action. Illiman Ndiaye fed Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall down the left. The midfielder whipped a low cross, marginally evading Beto, who was sliding in. The ball was kept in play by Jake O’Brien, and after a couple of intricate passes and a cross back into the box, the ball popped out to Idrissa Gana Gueye on the edge of the box. Gueye’s low effort was saved by Kelleher, and the goalkeeper reacted to stop Beto’s following shot from close range. The offside flag was raised, but Everton were pushing as the home fans grew nervous.
Deservedly so, Everton didn’t need to wait long for the equaliser. In the 26th minute, Jake O’Brien lost the ball on the right but won it back fairly, as deemed by the linesman and referee. With his opponent on the floor, he laid the ball back to Gana Gueye, who delicately crossed the ball towards Beto at the back post to head in. Despite the home side’s protestations, the goal stood and Everton were back in it.
Having been ahead, Brentford seemed keen to regain their advantage as Keith Andrews’s men had chances to go back in front. On a counter‑attack, Igor Thiago switched the ball to Mathias Jensen. The Danish midfielder cut back on his right and fired an effort towards the near post. Pickford threw himself to his right and produced a magnificent save to keep it level. England’s number 1 was in action again shortly after, as he diverted Schade’s header onto the bar from a corner, and blocked the following headed rebound from Ouattara. Both sides had plenty of chances, but Farai Hallam blew the whistle to end an entertaining half. Having created enough opportunities, both managers surely felt the game was there to be won.
In the second half, Brentford continued where they left off, as the home side hit the bar again. James Garner was booked for a challenge inside his own half and the following free‑kick was aimed towards the onrushing Nathan Collins, who headed the ball towards the bar, evading Pickford.
Everton created their best chance since the goal in the 65th minute, as yet another counter‑attack was created. Dewsbury‑Hall played Ndiaye through down the left as Brentford pushed men forward. The Senegalese winger ran directly towards the defender and shimmied onto his right at the edge of the box. His low driven strike was deflected and looked to be going in, only for Kelleher to produce yet another fantastic save to deny Everton a second.
The quality of chances seemed to be getting higher, as Dewsbury‑Hall was the latest to see his effort denied by Kelleher, but the hard‑working midfielder should have done better with the situation provided to him. Pickford kicked it long behind Brentford’s defence, and the high kick wasn’t dealt with by Jensen, allowing Dewsbury‑Hall a one‑on‑one with the Irish goalkeeper. He couldn’t get the ball out of his feet and was forced to turn back and swipe a tame effort on target but easily saved.
Brentford took advantage of that missed chance and got themselves back in front courtesy of a deflection. Michael Kayode roamed in from the right, easily moving away from Tyrique George who was fresh from the bench. The Italian pulled the trigger from the edge of the box, and it ricocheted off Igor Thiago for his second, and fifth against the Toffees this campaign. With points being at a premium at this stage of the season, Everton needed a response.
Brentford were heading for three points, propelling them up to 6th, level on points with Liverpool in 5th. The home side nearly allowed Everton back in straight after the goal after a defensive mix‑up but got away with it. The aforementioned George looked lively, as Moyes proactively made a triple substitution just before the goal, alongside Thierno Barry and Tim Iroegbunam. The young winger, on loan and looking to earn a permanent move to Merseyside, looked to take on his man at every available opportunity and wasn’t afraid to shoot.
As the clock ticked on, Everton were staring down the barrel of a potentially damaging defeat. However, late goals had become a theme this season, especially away from home. George, Garner and Vitaliy Mykolenko combined down the left as Everton pushed forward. The latter’s cross made its way through the bodies towards Ndiaye on the right. He laid the ball back towards the unmarked O’Brien, who struck low towards the bottom corner. Kayode had retreated back towards his goal but could only scuff his block towards Dewsbury‑Hall, who was Johnny‑on‑the‑spot to ram home a potentially vital equaliser in front of the delirious Toffee faithful. The Blues have had many key moments in this impressive full season under Moyes, but this felt momentous. Everton can now head into Derby week full of confidence and dream big.
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