Everton returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Saturday after they picked up a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Brentford at Goodison Park.
Dwight McNeil’s strike after 35 seconds - Everton's fastest winning goal at Goodison - was enough to secure all three points, although there were a few hairy moments in the second half as Thomas Frank’s team piled on the pressure.
But the win lifted Everton from second bottom to 15th, their highest league position since November 5. And below is a look at how the national media and Liverpool ECHO reported on the game.
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'No doubting his team’s determination'
Paul Joyce of The Times wrote: “As this game drifted into the dying embers, Idrissa Gueye sprang forward from midfield, chased down a rival, and stifled Brentford’s hopes of launching a late attack.
"Everton finished in much the same fashion as they had started and, in between, they only slackened off occasionally en route to what could be a pivotal success.
“Sean Dyche had spoken to his squad this week about adopting a “relentless mentality” if they are to escape the clutches of relegation and, though he was not totally satisfied with what he saw, there could be no doubting his team’s determination to compete to the last kick. Dwight McNeil’s excellent strike after just 35 seconds proved the difference and was the earliest-ever winning goal for Everton at Goodison Park. It also brought with it a familiar scoreline given all three of the victories Dyche has overseen since stepping into the breach have arrived in front of their own fans and been by a solitary goal.”
'Such thin margins'
Joe Bernstein for the Mail on Sunday wrote: “Sean Dyche’s loyalty to his former players is paying big dividends at Everton.
“Dwight McNeil, magnet for the boo-boys when Frank Lampard was in charge earlier in the season, scored the priceless winning goal after 35 seconds and made a goal-line clearance.
“At the back two more of the manager’s Burnley old boys Michael Keane and James Tarkowski were both brilliant in front of England manager Gareth Southgate.
“With Bournemouth’s win earlier in the day, Everton were only one-off-the-bottom at kick off, but had climbed to the giddy heights of 15th by the time referee Simon Hooper blew the final whistle.
“On such thin margins will this season’s relegation battle be decided and in Dyche, Everton – ever-present in the top flight since the 1950s – have an experienced leader.”
'Everton’s new-found resilience under Dyche'
Will Urwin of the Guardian wrote: “Those enjoying a pre-match drink will not have had their usual level of enthusiasm for a Mohamed Salah missed penalty and Liverpool loss at Bournemouth, knowing the result placed more pressure on Everton. That was soon alleviated when the ball was fed into McNeil to fire his shot across David Raya and into the corner after 35 seconds. Everton’s previous two home victories under Dyche have been 1-0, giving them 90 minutes to hold out.
“Dyche has made the team harder to beat since his arrival in January. Brentford looked to play direct passes to turn the home defence but they were equal to the threat of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo. What does hold Everton back is their lack of prowess in the final third. Despite having less possession, they had great chances but Michael Keane, Amadou Onana, Demarai Gray and Alex Iwobi failed to take their opportunities to extend the lead.
“Everton’s new-found resilience under Dyche was on show but they still required Jordan Pickford to keep out a Rico Henry header to keep things level. For a team who struggle to score, having a goalkeeper of Pickford’s quality could be telling in the battle to survive. Teams rarely get out of trouble at the bottom by playing great football, nor will a side managed by Dyche ever be particularly attractive to watch, but they are highly organised and putting in maximum effort.”
'The siren set the tempo'
Joe Thomas of the Liverpool ECHO wrote: “The siren set the tempo. That haunting, ear-splitting alarm rang around this famous old stadium for the first time this season. It echoed for an eternity and maybe, just maybe, the players were held back for an extra second or two so the piercing tone could have maximum impact.
“It transformed a nervous, tense corner of L4 that was all too aware that Bournemouth had once again landed a blow to Everton’s hopes by beating, of all teams, a supposedly reborn Liverpool. Of course they did.
“But as the rain fell and the coldness crept into nearly 40,000 desperate bones and the siren turned into Z-Cars and Seamus Coleman emerged, training top draped over a young mascot’s shoulders, the Grand Old Lady erupted. Would you want to be the enemy stepping onto this freezing, sodden battleground as the battle cry of a passionate, raucous fanbase dominates your senses? I would not.”
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