Everton notched a third straight League win for the first time this season to keep pace in the chase for Europe thanks to an electric moment from Kevin Mirallas shortly before the half-hour mark at Goodison Park. The Belgian's superb individual goal proved to be enough against a typically resilient but relatively toothless Stoke outfit who lost on the road for the sixth game on the bounce.
Though this was a markedly less tempestuous affair than the reverse fixture at the Britannia Stadium in December, it was a grind at times for an Everton side that lacked the intensity and the cohesiveness that they'd displayed against Manchester City a fortnight ago. Exhibiting a rare three-man back line boasting Sylvain Distin, John Heitinga and the returning Phil Jagielka, the Blues started slowly and had spells of decent play but despite registering twice the number of shots as their one-dimensional opponents, they couldn't find the second goal that would have made the closing stages more comfortable.
Thankfully, Mirallas pounced just as David Moyes's side were emerging from their shells but they could easily have been a goal down inside three minutes. A trademark long throw from the right flank, from Ryan Shotton these days and not Rory Delap, was nodded goalwards by Robert Huth but though Tim Howard's one-handed save fell straight to Jonathan Walters, the Irish forward could only turn the ball onto the crossbar from close range.
Though Moyes had fielded two strikers in the form of Nikica Jelavic and Victor Anichebe in Mariouane Fellaini's absense and the three central defenders effectively gave Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman license to push forward down the flanks, Everton were perplexingly inoffensive for the opening 20 minutes and some sloppy distribution threatened to be their undoing.
Things started to click a little more halfway through the first period, though, particularly when Baines sparked to life and it was his cut-back that served up a headed opportunity for Jelavic in the 23rd minute but the Croatian could only direct his effort into Asimir Begovic's arms.
Two futher deliveries by Baines into the danger zone just eluded Jelavic before Coleman bamboozled his way past Walters and into the area but he ballooned a left-foot shot into the Park End on his weaker left foot.
Stoke's modus operandi for almost all of the game was to pump the ball towards the Everton box and with the height they boast throughout the side, particularly with Peter Crouch on the field, it was a tactic that threatened to pay dividends at any time. Potential danger in the home team's box turned to the winning goal after 27 minutes, though, when Howard, returning after two games out with a back injury, fisted clear Kirk Cameron's cross from the left.
The ball fell to Mirallas and, after Stephen N'Zonzi had failed to check his progress, the Belgian raced forward with single-minded intent towards the visitors' area. A decisive change in direction took him past the last man in the form of the retreating Cameron and he tucked the ball home off Begovic's arm.
It was the kind of goal that is so rarely seen at Goodison given the lack of genuine pace in Moyes's squad but it highlighted just how potent a weapon Mirallas can be on the counter-attack when given the chance.
The Blues maintained some momentum for the remainder of the half and Mirallas flashed a right-footed shot across the face of Begovic's goal shot and inches past the far post, Heitinga raked a long-range effort over, Jelavic saw a fairly tame free kick gathered by the 'keeper and Mirallas fired a deflected shot behind after a neat one-two with Anichebe.
At the other end, Shawcross had the ball in the net but was rightly penalised for offside and Howard was equal to Walters' speculative shot from distance, parrying the ball away to safety five minutes before the interval.
The second half began as stodgily as had the first from Everton's perspective and as things began to get a little more testy and niggly, it seemed to be playing into Stoke's hands. The second of back-to-back corners 10 minutes after half-time was scooped away from the six-yard box but Anichebe was adjudged to have fouled Shotton outside his own area. The resulting free kick found Huth at the back post but, thankfully, he headed wide.
Howard's goal escaped an even closer call six minutes later when another inswinging cross was fired into the danger zone and Shotton headed narrowly over at the far post with the American goalkeeper stranded.
Though Anichebe was holding the ball up well and taking no nonsense from Stoke's physical defence and Mirallas began to re-emerge as a threat in the game around the hour mark and saw a half-volley deflect behind off Shawcross, Everton generally lacked fluidity. In a more withdrawn role, Leon Osman was subdued and failed to dictate the game in a way that he sometimes has this season. Darron Gibson was mostly steady but suffered from lapses in concentration that gifted possession to the opposition, and though Jelavic's workrate was typically first-rate, he was pretty dreadful with the ball at his feet.
One giveaway too many in an advanced position by the Croatian prompted Moyes to get Ross Barkley stripped off and ready to come on after 65 minutes but a decent far-post header off a Gibson cross that Begovic saved bought Jelavic a stay of execution. He was markedly improved from that point on and after Baines had smashed a free kick into the defensive wall, the striker whipped a direct kick from almost the same position inches wide.
Barkley made his entrance with 10 minutes to go but it was Mirallas who made way, ominously clutching his upper leg and hobbling off the bench. The young midfielder initially brought a bit more composure to the midfield but the Blues eventually settled into a more defensive posture in the final few minutes and Stoke launched aerial bombs forward hoping that something would break for them.
That it didn't owed much to determined Everton defending, led by Jagielka, as they battled constantly against Tony Pulis' array of height. Given the number of times Everton have thrown away points from winning positions this season, the slender nature of the 1-0 lead made for a nervy finale but only Jerome came close to breaking Goodison hearts when he swept the ball a foot over from the angle.
An attractive display of free-flowing football was never on the cards given the nature of the opposition and, by the same token, the three points are all that matters. The performance from Everton was a little flat but they got the job done and, thanks to Chelsea's defeat at Southampton, there are just four points separating fourth from sixth. With those crucial three games to come at White Hart Lane, the Emirates Stadium and Stamford Bridge, the Blues' European hopes really could lie in their own hands but they will need to step up their game starting next week if they are to achieve them. Cometh the hour, cometh the men?
Lyndon Lloyd
Stoke kicked off playing toward the Gwladys St end, while The Blues started with a 3-4-3 formation, the ball getting forward to Jelavic on the left side but his cross was hopeless. Shotton's Delap-style long throw was headed on and saved very well by Howard before hitting the Everton bar off Walters and being scrambled away rather fortuitously. A Heitinga free-kick came to nought.
It was fairly direct from both sides in the early stages, no surprise to see rather too many long aerial balls for the purists but Everton were trying to get their passing game going, Mirallas swinging in a great cross at the end of one move. Osman fired in a feirce shot that deflected before catching Wilson on the arm, to mandatory "Penalty!" shouts.
Everton were trying to build intelligently from depth through midfield but poor passing was spoiling some of the neat approach work. Baines did pick out Jelavic for a crisp header that Begovic claimed. Baines then powered in a great ball for Jelavic to attack that Huth scooped away from him as the Blues finally threatened to some effect until a Coleman dribble ended with a woeful shot.
It was nervy stuff in the Everton area, Heitinga having to head away from almost under the bar as the intensity of the game increased a few notches. Another absolutely brilliant cross from Baines was laid on a plate for Jelavic who misjudged it badly. But Kevin Mirallas then got a hare up his arse, and after a fortunate bounce off N'Zionzi, galloped the length of Goodison park following a Howard punch, slotted it through Begovoic with some very welcome confidence and aplomb. 1-0!!!
Jelavic then played Mirallas in wide right and the Belgian fired in a low cross that just evaded the far post as Everton looked to do anything but Kitapo... A free-kick at a nice distance was curled around the wall by Jelavic but it lacked the required pace. At the other end, Howard was stretching to palm away a shot from Walters, while Jelavic and Shawcross entered 'discussions' after a high ball.
A dangerous free-kick given away by Heitinga was immediately penalized against Huth for wrestling Baines. Mirallas did well to cross the Stoke area with the ball on his toe but when the shot came, it was deflected and the corner was neutralized by the rugby scrum as half-time approached, but not before Whelan had got himself booked for clinging to Anichebe's arm.
Distin had to be alert to deny Walter a shot on goal and Whelan's corner was headed out firmly by Jelavic as Everton looked to build after the break. In attack, Jelavic was trying everything he knew but very little was coming off.
Anichebe got into space and won a corner that Mirallas delivered very well but a turnover saw corners as the other end that almost paid off for the visitors, who then got a free-kick that was curled over to Huth whose header bounced wide.
Everton produced more by way of ground attack and another corner resulted but pushing was punished as the hour-mark approached. Mirallas did at least get a defected shot on target, but little else to speak of, while Shotton came so close at the far post with a difficult header. Jelavic continued to look simply dreadful, mistiming his runs, miskicking the ball, missing his passes, although he did get a tame header straight at Begovic off a good deep cross from Coleman. Ross Barkley was preparing for quite a while to come on for him...
Shawcross was booked for hauling down Jelavic in the Dee, but Baines could only drive into the wall as bodies fell all over the place, Osman getting an almost identical free-kick awarded that Jelavic curled brilliantly around the wall, Begovic producing a magnificent full stretch save that was not credited with a corner.
Distin was called for a foul on Crouch, but Huth could not get on the delivery, as the first subs seemed imminent as a snapshot from Jerome flashed across the Everton goal. Mirallas produced another good run in from the left but Anichebe collapsed on contact with the pullback, Barkley finally replacing Mirallas for the last 10 mins.
Barkley fluffed his first lines, kicking a clever backheel into his standing leg, while Osman perfected the dubious skill of giving the ball away needlessly.
With the game seemingly drifting to its conclusion, Barkley got himself booked rather stupidly for kicking the ball away after he got called following what looked like two good if exuberant tackles, and it seemed to give Stoke one final burst of energy. But Coleman responded with a trademark run down the right with 3 mins of added time.
A highly questionable free-kick was given against Osman beyond the third added minute and Howard needed to beat it away to clinch the points..
In the end, it was a competent and professional display from a re-jigged Everton side lacking Fellaini and Pienaar. A rare clean sheet for the returning Tim Howard, and three more vital points toward a possible grandstand finish to the season that just might kep David Moyes interested in extending his
Michael Kenrick
From rock-bottom morale and contemplation of the end of the Moyes era three weeks ago to the re-ignition of faint Champions League hopes following the win over Manchester City, March has been fairly tumultuous at Goodison Park. The month comes to a close this weekend with what could be another defining game for the Blues and their hopes of qualifying for Europe.
Remarkably, the visit of Stoke City completes a five-match home stand and while the FA Cup exit against Wigan had a devastating impact on Everton's season, it's worth noting that David Moyes's side won the other three matches at Goodison - by two clear goals on each occasion - which would seem to suggest that the quarter final disaster was a particularly ugly aberration.
Tony Pulis' uncompromising outfit will not be the easiest opposition against which to prove themselves but the Blues have an opportunity to further press their claims for a top-four or top-five finish if they can claim all three points. With Arsenal having proved fallible at times this season, Chelsea embarking on a run of six games in 16 days and Tottenham also still distracted by their Europa Cup campaign, there is scope to gain ground on the teams above us if we can just keep winning.
As Moyes and the players already know, it will require a repeat of the tenacity and determination that characterised that stirring win over City a fortnight ago which will hopefully not have diminished over the international break. They will also have to achieve a third successive League win without Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar, both of whom begin two-match suspensions this weekend.
Neither player will be easy to replace, though the manager does have a few options available to him, most likely centred around Victor Anichebe who would provide the physical presence needed against a big Stoke side in Fellaini's absence. Any of Nikica Jelavic, Kevin Mirallas or Steven Naismith could be played behind or alongside the in-form striker, depending on how adventurous Moyes feels.
On the left flank, Bryan Oviedo would be an obvious deputy for Pienaar but there is the possibility of switching Mirallas to the left flank, fielding Phil Neville at right back and pushing Seamus Coleman forward, or giving Ross Barkley a rare start - albeit somewhat out of position - on the right side.
At the back, Moyes suggested in his pre-match press conference that he could have Phil Jagielka back from injury as the gash to his ankle has now healed and Tim Howard is also a possible, though less likely, returnee. Given the nature of the American's injury and the form of Jan Mucha in his stead over the last two games, it would not be surprising if the Slovakian continued between the sticks for the next game at least.
With fourth place just six points away and upcoming fixtures at Spurs and Arsenal still to come, it really is grab-the-bull-by-the-horns time for Everton. Their destiny could yet lie in their own hands if they can adopt an indefatigable mindset over the final nine games. 27 points are there to be won and, as they proved a fortnight ago, they can beat anyone on their day.
With their stingy defence and bellicose approach, Stoke are precisely the kind of team that has stymied the Blues this season so it's by no means going to be an easy game. Home-field advantage, concentration at the back and a resolute desire to win will be the order of the day.
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