A magnificent performance saw us become the first away team to win at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium following a commanding 3-0 victory on Sunday afternoon.
Superb in all areas of the pitch, we were particularly strong at the back as the home side bombarded us with plenty of crosses with Kevin Danso and Micky van de Ven excellent in the heart of our defence, while our Dutch skipper also chipped in with two first-half goals to lay the foundations for the victory. He headed home from close range from two corners as we made our set-pieces pay, giving us a two-goal advantage at the break, while Everton had a goal ruled out after a VAR intervention with the score at 1-0.
After the break, we kept out everything the Toffees could throw at us with Guglielmo Vicario making some excellent saves, before securing the three points with a late Pape Matar Sarr header, the win seeing us climb up to third in the Premier League table – we are the only team to remain unbeaten away from home in the division so far this season.
Playing for the first time at the impressive new venue on the banks of the River Mersey, it was our hosts who almost opened the scoring in the third minute after Iliman Ndiaye burst away from Djed Spence down Everton’s right and clipped over a cross which went all the way through to Jack Grealish at the back post, only for his powerful drive to hit the leg of Pedro Porro inside the six yard box and Beto fired the rebound over.
We settled into the game well and looked good in possession before we took the lead in the 19th minute. Everton were the only Premier League team yet to concede a goal from a set-piece all season when Mohammed Kudus sent over a deep corner, Rodrigo Bentancur snuck around the back and got enough contact on the ball to send it into the six-yard box where van de Ven climbed highest to nod home.
The home fans were unhappy a few minutes later, too, after the Toffees had a goal ruled out. Vicario had tipped a James Garner 20-yarder around the post for a corner and, from the set-piece, Jake O’Brien glanced home a header which Vicario was unable to keep out. On closer inspection though, VAR spotted Ndiaye and Grealish both in an offside position making contact with our goalkeeper and after checking the pitchside monitor, referee Craig Pawson disallowed the goal.
The chances kept coming at both ends, Bentancur not far wide with a 22-yard half-volley while van de Ven just got a touch on a dangerous Ndiaye cross to prevent Beto tucking home from close range before we added a second on the stroke of half-time. After a flurry of corners, Porro whipped one in right on top of Jordan Pickford and van de Ven got there first to glance the ball into the back of the net.
As we expected, Everton came out with increased intensity after the interval with Ndiaye flicking just wide before Vicario pulled off a magnificent point-blank save to push away Beto’s overhead kick in the 54th minute. But we had a huge chance for number three when Porro launched a ball over the top, substitute Richarlison got the better of James Tarkowski and was in on goal but Pickford stood tall to deny him.
The rain got heavier as the game went on making conditions really tricky, while the Toffees started to apply some sustained pressure. Defensively, though, we were staying strong with Vicario making another wonderful save low down to tip away Ndiaye’s deflected effort while Joao Palhinha made a big block to keep out Idrissa Gueye’s shot.
The ball kept coming into our box from crosses and set-pieces but every single time it was a Spurs player who got the first contact to clear the danger. And then, as Everton fans were leaving in their droves, we broke away and scored a wonderful third in the 89th minute. Porro had time and space down the right to float over a deep cross which Richarlison nodded back across goal and there was Sarr to send his header past Pickford to round off a fine victory.