Match ends, Everton 1, Brentford 0.
In-form Everton guaranteed their Premier League survival with three games to spare by edging to victory over lacklustre Brentford.
Sean Dyche's side benefited from Luton losing at Wolves earlier on Saturday, and this result at Goodison Park allowed Everton to leapfrog Brentford into 15th place - 11 points clear of the relegation zone.
Idrissa Gueye was the surprise match winner, smashing home a first-time finish into the top corner on the hour mark after reacting quickest to Brentford's defenders failing to clear the ball.
A first half severely lacking in quality was summed up by neither side being able to find a shot on target. Home midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure should have done better with a volley which he screwed wide from 10 yards.
The contest improved in the second period and Everton's England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made an excellent stop to deny the returning Ivan Toney.
At the other end, Everton were inches away from breaking the deadlock when Dwight McNeil's thunderous drive from long range rattled the crossbar, before Gueye's goal ensured the Blues maintained their proud top-flight status.
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Job well done for Dyche
Everton were crushed 6-0 at Chelsea on 15 April and faced a run of three consecutive home games which would make or break another tumultuous season.
They have bounced back from that mauling at Stamford Bridge in style, beating Nottingham Forest, Merseyside rivals Liverpool and now Brentford, all with clean sheets.
The Toffees were last relegated from the top flight in 1951 but looked in serious peril this season after receiving two points deductions totalling eight points and going on a run of 13 league games without a victory.
Dyche's men defeated Bournemouth on the final day of last season to stay up, and beat Crystal Palace from 2-0 behind at half-time in their penultimate game of the previous campaign under Frank Lampard to secure safety.
Although circumstances were less dramatic this time, this was equally significant.
At full-time, Dyche strode on to the pitch and heartily applauded all four corners of the ground, knowing this was a job well done under trying circumstances.
The Blues still face an uncertain future off the pitch as a protracted takeover by 777 Partners has yet to be completed, but they can at least plan for next season knowing they will still be in the Premier League.
Gueye's thumping goal was worthy of winning a game that was turgid in large parts, going down as another important strike from the Senegal midfielder after he opened the scoring against Forest last Sunday.
The scoreline could have been more handsome had McNeil's thunderbolt dipped in, while James Garner also struck the crossbar in injury time with a free-kick from out wide which almost sailed in.
Brentford, meanwhile, have had to endure a tough campaign but have also staved off any threat of relegation despite this loss.
England striker Toney was back after a hip injury and should have scored with his effort that was kept out by Pickford, and the Everton goalkeeper also saved well from Keane Lewis-Potter to preserve his 12th clean sheet of the campaign.
Player of the match
BranthwaiteJarrad Branthwaite
Everton
Avg
- Squad number32Player nameBranthwaiteAverage rating
6.98
- Squad number27Player nameGueyeAverage rating
6.94
- Squad number7Player nameMcNeilAverage rating
6.68
- Squad number6Player nameTarkowskiAverage rating
6.61
- Squad number1Player namePickfordAverage rating
6.60
- Squad number22Player nameGodfreyAverage rating
6.46
- Squad number16Player nameDoucouréAverage rating
6.44
- Squad number8Player nameOnanaAverage rating
6.42
- Squad number37Player nameGarnerAverage rating
6.40
- Squad number5Player nameKeaneAverage rating
6.39
- Squad number28Player nameYoussef ChermitiAverage rating
6.34
- Squad number18Player nameYoungAverage rating
6.05
- Squad number11Player nameHarrisonAverage rating
5.94
Brentford
Avg
- Squad number22Player nameCollinsAverage rating
6.59
- Squad number11Player nameWissaAverage rating
5.80
- Squad number12Player nameReguilĂłnAverage rating
5.63
- Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number5Player namePinnockAverage rating
5.37
- Squad number8Player nameJensenAverage rating
5.36
- Squad number20Player nameAjerAverage rating
5.35
- Squad number6Player nameNĂžrgaardAverage rating
5.35
- Squad number27Player nameJaneltAverage rating
5.23
- Squad number24Player nameDamsgaardAverage rating
5.18
- Squad number17Player nameToneyAverage rating
5.13
- Squad number23Player nameLewis-PotterAverage rating
5.12
- Squad number1Player nameFlekkenAverage rating
5.08
- Squad number30Player nameRoerslevAverage rating
5.03
- Squad number9Player nameSchadeAverage rating
4.97
- Squad number33Player nameYarmoliukAverage rating
4.91
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Pickford
- 22Godfrey
- 6TarkowskiBooked at 74mins
- 32Branthwaite
- 18Young
- 11Harrison
- 27GueyeSubstituted forOnanaat 78'minutes
- 37Garner
- 7McNeil
- 16Doucouré
- 28Ramalho ChermitiSubstituted forKeaneat 90+5'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Keane
- 8Onana
- 10Danjuma
- 12Neves VirgĂnia
- 21André Gomes
- 31Lonergan
- 51Warrington
- 58Hunt
- 86Metcalfe
Brentford
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Flekken
- 20AjerSubstituted forRoerslevat 84'minutes
- 22Collins
- 5Pinnock
- 12ReguilĂłnBooked at 43minsSubstituted forSchadeat 77'minutes
- 8Jensen
- 6NĂžrgaardSubstituted forYarmoliukat 77'minutes
- 27JaneltSubstituted forDamsgaardat 67'minutes
- 19MbeumoBooked at 90mins
- 17Toney
- 11WissaSubstituted forLewis-Potterat 68'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Schade
- 13M Jorgensen
- 14Ghoddos
- 15Onyeka
- 23Lewis-Potter
- 24Damsgaard
- 30Roerslev
- 31Valdimarsson
- 33Yarmoliuk
- Referee:
- Darren England
- Attendance:
- 39,098
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home47%
- Away53%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away4
- Corners
- Home6
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Everton 1, Brentford 0.
Post update
Foul by Ivan Toney (Brentford).
Post update
James Tarkowski (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Abdoulaye Doucouré (Everton).
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Michael Keane replaces Youssef Chermiti.
Post update
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Ethan Pinnock.
Post update
Attempt saved. Kevin Schade (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mathias Jensen.
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Attempt blocked. Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Yehor Yarmoliuk.
Post update
Offside, Everton. Youssef Chermiti is caught offside.
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James Garner (Everton) hits the bar with a right footed shot from long range on the left from a direct free kick.
Booking
Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford).
Post update
Dwight McNeil (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Mads Roerslev (Brentford).
Post update
Abdoulaye Doucouré (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Brentford. Yehor Yarmoliuk is caught offside.
Post update
Offside, Everton. Abdoulaye Doucouré is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Mads Roerslev replaces Kristoffer Ajer.
Comments
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Wolves fan.
( glad you shut that arrogant lot up that constantly boo our national anthem )
Hats off
STARTER Cold & Sour Gruel Soup with Stale Bread Roll
MAIN Rancid Meat Filled Humble Pie
DESSERT Bitter Lemon Meringue & Sour Grapes
(Like revenge all dishes are best served cold)
BEVERAGE Draught Bitter
A huge supply of napkins is ready for diners to sob hysterically into.
Do enjoy your gourmet cuisine!
Sean Dyche has performed a miracle with this disaster of a squad. But he needs backing to bring in some decent players, albeit bought for by selling (I expect) Onana and Branthwaite, who deserves to play at the highest level.
It's time for Thelwell to earn his money.
Thereâs no greater joy as an Everton fan than coming on HYS and laughing at the haters whoâve been desperate for us to go down.
3 years on the trot.
Ha ha :D
I am expecting EPL to find a missing invoice and the charge us with another 4pt deduction increased to 15 for not being Chelsea or Man City
Product Recall!!
Can those individuals who purchase d a crystal ball that predicted that EFC would go down, please return for a full refund, due to them having a technical problem.
They were wrongđđđđ.
Well done Blues and our great support. UTFTs đđđđđ