Albion were beaten at a wet and windy Goodison Park as Everton returned to the top of the Premier League with a clinical performance.
Neal Maupay cancelled out Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s early goal in the 41st minute when he scored his fourth goal of the season.
But crucially Yerry Mina restored Everton’s lead in first-half stoppage time before two goals from James Rodriguez in the second half compounded Albion’s disappointment at a venue where their wait for a first ever win goes on. Yves Bissouma scored a cracking goal in stoppage time to make it 4-2, but it was just a consolation for Albion.
What happened
Calvert-Lewin had given a warning just two minutes in when he pounced after Yves Bissouma gave the ball away in midfield and left fly from just outside the box, but Maty Ryan made an excellent save with his outstretched leg and the keeper rescued Albion again a minute later when he parried away Seamus Coleman’s drive.
Steven Alzate was booked for a foul on fellow Colombian Rodriguez and with Everton made their early dominance count with a 16th-minute goal. Ryan pushed away a shot from Gylfi Sigurdsson at the expense of a corner. It was taken quickly and Sigurdsson’s cross from the left was headed powerfully past Ryan at the far post by Calvert-Lewin, with Albion protests that he had fouled Ben White in the process ignored by referee Simon Hooper.
On the balance of play Everton deserved to be in front but Albion gradually worked their way into the game and equalised in the 41st minute with their first shot on target. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford failed to hold Leandro Trossard’s volley and Maupay pounced on the loose ball, turning and firing it home from close range.
But once again Albion conceded from a set-piece in the second minute of stoppage time. Solly March fouled Rodriguez on the right-hand edge of the penalty area and his free kick was headed powerfully past Ryan by defender Mina.
Joel Veltman replaced Tariq Lamptey at the break but seven minutes into the second half it was 3-1 and Everton were heading back to the top of the table. Alex Iwobi, who had replaced the injured Richarlison in the first half, surged down the left after being found by Calvert-Lewin and picked out Rodriguez in space on the edge of the six-yard box for a half-volley which sped past Ryan. It was another disappointing goal to concede, with Trossard’s pass intercepted at the start of the move.
Albion nearly got back into it when Mina almost put Solly March’s driven cross past his own keeper before they made their second change midway through the second half when Adam Lallana replaced Aaron Connolly in a 4-4-2 with Trossard along Maupay up front.
Any hopes of a comeback by Albion ended when Rodriguez scored his second to make it 4-1 in the 71st minute. Again, Everton broke down the right with Iwobi finding Abdoulaye Doucoure inside the box and he slipped the ball across the face of goal for Rodriguez to apply a similar finish to his first goal.
To their credit, Albion kept going. Trossard dragged a shot from the edge of the box wide, Lewis Dunk couldn’t quite get his head on an inviting cross by Lallana, another effort by Trossard was inches wide and Mina made a great block when Maupay was set to score his second late on.
But they did get a deserved second in stoppage time when Bissouma scored arguably the best goal of the contest, a powerful volley from the edge of the box that sped past Pickford. Too little to make a difference but it at least made the score-line a bit more realistic.
Albion’s evolution
Albion’s last visit to Goodison Park was only eight months ago but there were only five survivors from the team that lost 1-0 that afternoon in today’s XI: Mat Ryan, Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, Leandro Trossard and goal scorer Neal Maupay.
Goals, goals, goals
Maupay hasn’t been quite so prolific as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but he has now scored in his last three top-flight games and has four for the campaign. The Frenchman’s fourth goal last season came in the 3-2 win over Everton, but that was in his tenth game of the season in November. Proof of his improvement in front of goal in his second season in the Premier League. It is not the first time Maupay has scored in three successive games. He did it against Arsenal, Wolves and Crystal Palace last December.
Calvert-Lewin became the first Everton player to score in four successive Premier League games since Francis Jeffers 20 years ago. It was the striker’s ninth goal of the season.
Not so Good-ison
Albion have been visiting Goodison Park since 1913, but it’s a venue where they have yet to win in nine matches.
The line-up
Ryan, Webster, Dunk, White, Lamptey (Veltman 45), Bissouma, Alzate (Gross 81), Trossard, March, Maupay, Connolly (Lallana 65).
Subs not used: Steele, Mac Allister, Burn, Bernardo.