Everton secure massive win over PSR rivals Forest

Everton 2 - 0 Nottingham Forest

Fellow PSR felons Nottingham Forest are today's visitors in a massive game where both sides face the seemingly inescapable danger of being sucked down into the Bottom 3 and relegation from the precious but much despised Premier League. 

Sean Dyche cannot call on either Seamus Coleman or Nathan Patterson, who are both out injured, but Idrissa Gana Gueye returns with Arnaut Danjuma still only on the bench after being out for nearly 3 months.

Jack Harrison and Andre Gomes are named as starters while Dominic Calvert-Lewin returns to lead the line as the lone striker, and Jarrad Branthwaite is thankfully declared fit to retain his position in the backline after going off with an injury at Stamford Bridge last Monday. 

The visitors got things underway, with a few long balls leading to nothing. Forest mounted te first decent attack on the counter, Gibbs-White looking to get to the byeline and cut to back into the danger area,  with Everton defending well. 

But next Williams had acres of space for his hard shot straight at Pickford, Forest paying with far more pace, but Harrison got forward to cross, defended for an Everton corner, with the pushing and shoving starting already, Taylor giving Forest a free-kick after the ball came in. 

From a midfield free-kick, Pickford launched it long, winning another corner, Sels putting this one behind. Gomes took the next on the left but it was poor. It was pretty physical, Calvert-Lewin catching Niakhate with his elbow.

It was ultra-scrappy, Everton wanting a free-kick for a close-proximity handball, not given. But Everton were pressing high and won a free-kick when Williams fouled Gomes wide left but Gomes wellied it poorly high over the angle. 

But Branthwaite broke a counter and advanced with the ball himself, out to Harrison but the cross was just dreadful, with no Calvert-Lewin there to receive it. Gomes slipped and then fouled Williams to end another promising forward move. 

Calvert-Lewin was fouled wide right, so yet another set-piece and Gomes again, but straight into the wall. Just a disgraceful waste. A throw-in came back out to Mykolenko whose shot was equally abysmal, way over the Park End goal. 

Everton were drawn out to press high, Young then fouling. Everton forced the turnover but Gomes again, just useless with the ball at his feet.  

But in the next attack, Gomes finally played a decent ball, just ahead of Doucoure running in behind. Forest mounted a rare forward foray, perhaps unlucky not to get a free-kick or worse when Young appeared to kick the back of Reyna's ankle. But on review, Young may have actually poked the ball away first with the toe of his boot before catching his man. 

Another good turnover saw some nice Everton passing before McNeil misjudged his feed to Calvert-Lewin. Pickford tried to repeat his awful Chelsea clearance but was rescued this time by Mykolenko. McNeil found Calvert-Lewin in acres of space but the towering imperious Everton centre-forward, under no pressure, tamely headed it back to Sels. 

Hudson-Odoi got forward to shoot, Pickford initially spilling it. The nerves and jitters were ubiquitous. Mykolenko got in a decent cross but it seemed to be cleared until Idrissa Gana Gueye bobbled his speculative shot from outside of the area and remarkably it snuck just inside the post — only his second ever from 100 shots outside of the penalty area!!!!

Everton tried to control the play a little more with the goal advantage, working they way forward with more composure, Harriosn almost feeding Calvert-Lewin. Gomes did a lot better with the corner to the near post but it was half-cleared for an Everton throw-in. 

Forest got the turnover but their forward ball hit Gibbs-White on the back and went out of play. Doucoure strode forward and played in a great ball but Calvert-Lewin was 3 feet behind it. Still Everton looked to break Forest possession high up the field, not always successfully. 

From one of those rare attacks, the Forest ball in from left to right again caused havoc from a mishit shot by Gibbs-White when Wood had a tremendous chance at the far post but Pickford recovered from trying to save the mishit, to save brilliantly at point-blank range, albeit giving Woods another bite of the cherry before it was cleared by Tarkowski. 

Forest attacked again, Branthwaite heading clear. But the Blues kept giving the ball back for Forest to come at them.  A deep cross to Hudson-Odoi came back onto Young's wrist before it went behind for a Forest corner after a brief VAR check, with Tarkowski going down from a whack on the head but Anthony Taylor failed to stop the play. 

Taylor then wasted 30 seconds to walk over and reprimand Forest coach Keith Stroud, showing him a yellow card before a series of Forest corners continued, with Calvert-Lewin defending them well before the last one curled behind to end the half with Everton ahead 1-0. 

The Blues restarted and tried their best to keep control but it was scrappy at times. Doucoure got forward well but his cross was easily intercepted with Calvert-Lewin stranded behind his marker.  

Forest suddenly got forward very quickly, Mykolenko getting back to thwart Hudosn-Odoi but it was a scare. But Young forced a turnover and Harrison won a corner to get Everton forward again. McnNeil's deep delivery fell nicely at the feet of Calvert-Lewin in the crowd but he drove the ball wide. 

Forest put in a great ball for Hudson-Odoi, Young going right through him to push the ball back to Pickford, much to the anguish of the Forest fans who were convinced this must be a penalty. Branthwaite went down when his ankle was kicked. 

Everton were living dangerously, a ball forward to Gibbs-White stroked just wide of the far post with Calvert-Lewin going down and needing attention, going off for the regulation 30 seconds after Dyche had thought about bringing Beto on for him.

From the restart, Forest surged forward again and only a crowd of blue shirts in the Everton penalty area halted their progress. Everton just could not hold the ball up high and it just kept coming back again, Hudson-Odoi's cross headed away by Branthwaite. 

Danilo again spread it wide to Hudson-Odoi but he needlessly fouled Young. Calvert-Lewin and Gomes were replaced by Beto and Garner. Everton tried to get forward but Doucoure was easily brushed off the ball by Danilo. Forest drove forward again and only a vital blue touch halted their progress.

Everton finally got forward, Young crossing and Beto trying but failing to beat Sels to the ball. Beto did well to hold up the ball and Harrison then crossed in after beating his man but Garner was denied by a vital touch from Williams. 

Everton repelled another Forest advance and then looked to break but McNeil could not stop Docucoure's pass from going out of play. Gueye forced a good turnover but Harrison's cross was too difficult for Doucoure who was harshly booked for a high boot on the defender he could not see. 

Brathwaite did well down the left wing and the ball found Dwight McNeil in space in the middle, who strode forward, exchanged with Doucuoré then powered a marvellous shot in off the right post!

Everton came forward and McNeil thought he'd try again but this shot was straight at Sels.  Some desperate stuff ensued as Forest forced some panic in the Blues defence.

Everton forced their way forward but could not create a couple of chances from crosses into the Forest area. Forest tried to respond but Everton broke quickly with some nice passes from Gueye and Douuocure until Beto thought he was fouled. 

It was now end-to-end and relatively open. Doucoure was called for a midfield foul.  Forest kept pushing Everton back into the shell, a great cross to the far post not converted into a chance but warnings all over the place despite Everton's 2-goal advantage. 

Everton were reduced into fouling Forest players to stop them but that only set up nervy set-pieces that had Everton nerves jangling. William went straight over the advertising hoardings and into the crowd after a clash with McNeil. 

Everton advanced but McNeil's ball was poor and Forest were right back in the Everton area, Origi inches from heading in their first goal off a cross that was just too high as 9 minutes of stoppage time were added. Doucoure was in a good position but could not fashion a shot. 

More Forest play deep in the Everton half ended with a nasty clash of heads between Beto and Gibbs-White, which would add even more minutes. Beto was knocked out and it looked very serious, the stretcher and four or five medics coming on.  Eventually, they carried him off and out of the corner of the stadium and no doubt into an ambulance for a trip to the hospital, despite a raised arm to show he was now conscious. 

The game finally resumed with Chermiti on in his place. He was immediately caught by Murrilo. Chermiti looked to get forward but his pass was easily intercepted, and he was booked for time wasting as 18 minutes were finally played before Anthony Taylor blew the whistle to signal a vital 3 points for Everton. 

Everton:  Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite [Y:81'], Mykolenko, Gueye, Gomes (67' Garner), Doucoure [Y:74'], Harrison [Y:83'], McNeil, Calvert-Lewin (67' Beto (90+10' Chermiti [Y:90+17'])).

Subs not Used: Virginia, Keane, Godfrey, Onana, Warrington, Danjuma.

Nottingham Forest:  Sels, Williams, Niakhate, Murillo [Y:90+18'], Aina, Danilo (80' Ribeiro), Reyna (53' Elanga), Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi (80' Origi), Dominguez (80' Yates [Y:81']), Wood.

Subs not Used: Turner, Sangare, Toffolo, Omobamidele, Montiel.

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