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Brilliant Barkley goal but Blues are held by Norwich

Norwich City 2 - 2 Everton

Everton started with a line-up that included Barkley, Baines, Fellaini and Jelavic. The first forward movement from Everton was an overhit hoof from Distin after a minor amount of crossfield passing following the kick-off. Patient build-ups followed, with Everton dominating the early play, Pienaar winning an early free kick.

More patient but unproductive play eventually led to another hoof, lost possession and an attack by Norwich that also won a free-kick, defended away.

A slightly stronger development through the middle looked promising but more overworking of the play around the Norwich area only led to a half-chance for Pienaar that curled well wide. The next attack looked better, but ended with a poor overhit cross from Coleman.

Norwich meanwhile looked to break quicker and more directly, winning a couple of corners that ended with a push on Howard. Their next corner saw a handball against Martin.

Baines finally got a chance to whip in a decent cross that led to Everton's first corner after 20 mins, headed over by Fellaini. Jelavic finally set up Mirallas after more PBUP, but the Belgian screwed his shot wide.

Everton came close on another Baines corner,whipped in and flicked on by Jelavic but it was too strong for Fellaini at the far post. Coleman then got behind off a good Pienaar pass and Mirallas's goalbound shot hit an arm.

Osman gave Norwich an advantage that led to a free-kick and corner but Everton's defence was doing its job, as the pace of the game improved on the half-hour, both sides pressing for the first goal, and more Baines corners that Norwich took in their stride.

Great outfield play by Everton but the pace was often slow to laboured to downright retrograde when they would pass it back to Howard. Great possession play but few real chances being created. Off Everton's 6th corner, Jagielka was off balance and shot well over.

A faster break forward with Pienaar ended when Mirallas was fractionally offside. Coleman looked to penetrate but seemed to be making the wrong choices after getting into some great positions. But it seemed the Blues were under instruction not to shoot from too far out, but a block on Mirallas set up Baines for a free-kick that finally came to xf who drilled his shot just over the angle.

After the break, Coleman gave Mirallas a better ball that he drove from close range into the side-netting. But it was Norwich who finally took the lead, Whittaker waltzing past an uninterested Fellaini and beating Howard, smacking the far post, then scoring from a narrower angle with the rebound.

The goal seemed to add a little more urgency to the patient passing play and it eventually paid off when COleman from a throw-in, cut inside and eventually found Barkley moved the ball to his lethal left foot then powered in a fantastic strike, smacking inside Ruddy's side netting in brilliant style. A great goal from the young lad!

It was a tremendous goal and a worthy celebration, the whole team going to the corner to celebrate.

Everton kept pressing and went into the lead after a good forward pass to Jelavic whose shot was parried by Ruddy and Coleman following up had an easy tap-in, much to the supreme delight of the traveling Blues fans. Martinez then put Naismith on in place of Mirallas.

But Norwich were back level off a mishit cross from Whittaker that Van Wolfswinkel too easily headed past Howard to equalize with Everton at that sage rampant and looking solid for the win.

Coleman came close with a meaty left-foot shot near the end.

Norwich City: Ruddy; Whittaker, Turner, Martin Y:44', Garrido; E Bennett, Howson, Johnson, Redmond; Hoolahan (73' Tete); Van Wolfswinkel.
Subs:

Everton: Howard; Baines, Jagielka, Distin, Coleman; Fellaini, Barkley, Osman, Mirallas (67' Naismith), Pienaar; Jelavic (80' Kone).
Subs: Robles, Heitinga, Deulofeu, Naismith, Stones, Anichebe

Kick off: 3pm
Referee: Michael Oliver

Attendance: 26,824

Quotes or other material sourced from ToffeeWeb Match Reports

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