Everton 2-0 Nottingham Forest. Everton took a vital step towards Premier League survival with victory over fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest in a scrappy affair at Goodison Park.
Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil scored with long-range efforts in each half to settle the battle between the two clubs who have suffered Premier League points deductions this season – with appeals pending that could still shape their fate as the campaign reaches its climax.
Everton have now moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand on Luton Town but Forest remain deep in trouble, only a point ahead of the Hatters.
Forest, however, were left fuming when referee Anthony Taylor twice ignored penalty appeals, first when Ashley Young handled in the closing moments of the opening half and then when the veteran tangled with Callum Hudson-Odoi as he raced in on goal in the second period.
Everton broke the deadlock after 29 minutes when Gueye fired low past Matz Sels, only his second goal in a century of attempts from outside the area, with McNeil settling the destiny of the points when he drilled home via the post from 25 yards with 14 minutes left.
There were worrying scenes in stoppage time when Everton striker Beto went down after an aerial challenge with Morgan Gibbs-White.
He lay motionless and the game was stopped for eight minutes while he received treatment before he was taken away on a stretcher. He did, however, appear to gesture to the Everton supporters as he was leaving the pitch.
Everton needed an instant response after the humiliation of Monday’s 6-0 loss at Chelsea and while, apart from the two goals, it was not a performance to earn points for artistic merit, it earned points of a far more significant kind as the Toffees once again find themselves embroiled in a fight against relegation.
They were thankful for an outstanding save by England keeper Jordan Pickford from Forest striker Chris Wood with the score 1-0 and those controversial moments when Young escaped conceding penalties.
Everton, however, showed the battling qualities that were absent at Stamford Bridge, took the chances they had and cashed in on the moments of good fortune afforded to them.
It was not a game of any serious quality, which was hardly to be expected between two struggling teams in a tense situation, but this is immaterial at this stage of the season.
Jarrad Branthwaite demonstrated once again why he is so highly regarded as Everton kept Forest at bay, enabling Sean Dyche’s side to make a winning start to a week that could yet define their season, with a Merseyside derby to come against Liverpool at Goodison Park on Wednesday and another home game against Brentford next Saturday evening.
source – BBC