Season › 2024-25 › News Everton thrash Leicester to ease relegation concerns Lyndon Lloyd 01/02/2025 46comments | Jump to last Everton 4 - 0 Leicester Abdoulaye Doucouré scored the fastest goal in Everton history as the Toffees put four past Leicester City and racked up their third successive win under David Moyes's stewardship in fine style. Doucouré raced onto Jordan Pickford's ball forward and fired home with just 10 seconds gone and that set the home side on their way to an impressive victory that goes a long way to banishing fears of relegation. The manager was forced to make changes to the side that started at Brighton due to injuries to two more first-choice players but drew excellent performances from the two replacements in what was a great display all round. Beto came in to lead the line in place of Dominic Calvert-Lewin while James Garner made his first appearance following a long lay-off with a back problem and the Blues got off to a scintillating start. Article continues below video content After Doucouré had banged in the fourth-quickest goal since the inception of the Premier League, Beto doubled the lead in the sixth minute as James Tarkowski released him down the channel and he surged into the box before burying his shot past the goalkeeper. Doucouré should have extended Everton's lead to three when Vitalii Mykolenko picked him out with a low cross from the left but he side-footed over from close range but Beto made no mistake in first-half stoppage time. Latching onto James Garner's perfectly-weighted pass, he rolled the ball past Mads Hermansen to put the Blues into a commanding lead at the interval. The second half was, predictably, less intense from the home side's perspective given the big lead they had established but Jesper Lindstrøm had a gilt-edged chance to open his account before Iliman Ndiaye rounded off the rout in the 90th minute. Hassling Jannik Vestergaard and Caleb Okoli, the Senegalese pounced on a ricochet and was left with just the keeper to beat which he did with aplomb. The result lifts Everton above Tottenham in the table for the time being but also put 10 points between them and the relegation zone. Matchday updates Live Forum Reader Comments (46) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Rob Hooton 1 Posted 01/02/2025 at 14:38:48 As Doucouré has managed to claim 2 spots in the team, I’m going to place a £1 bet on him scoring today. He has to do something at some point, surely? Edward Rogers 2 Posted 01/02/2025 at 14:57:34 Hope it's not as quiet at Goodison as it is on here. Ernie Baywood 3 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:02:07 Hope you got that bet on! Kieran Kinsella 4 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:03:53 Rob money well spent mate but which of the two scored? Michael Fox 5 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:05:37 All you Doucouré haters Shush. Brendan McLaughlin 6 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:09:55 2-0Edge of the seat time. Nicolas Piñon 8 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:13:24 Rob you should say that every game! LOL Craig Walker 9 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:15:23 Just don’t concede, Blues and we should have no more relegation fears this season. Get a free hit against the RS.For Moyes to get as many wins in 4 matches as Dyche managed all season would be some achievement.COYB Peter Moore 10 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:50:50 The tactical tweak by Moyes has worked wonderfully so far, against crap opposition to be fair, but can only play what is in front of you. The team were shot shy and shite going forward in the run up to his appointment of course, save the 4-0 win over Wolves of course. His faith in O'Brien being repayed handsomely.Doucoure has some big moments for sure. His only goal of the last match two seasons back kept us up of course. Without that goal, we were down. I will always personally be very grateful for that! Then this earliest ever home goal in the history of the Premier League. Not bad at all.Personally, being a layman, not a football manager, I would have dropped him for Harrison Armstrong!Well played David Moyes! Getting the team to have belief and confidence again, getting the fans back on side. Fantastic. Beto is a better finisher than DCL. Not a high bar that of course, but gotta love the lad! What a Portugeezer that's a pressure easer! UTFT! COYB! NSNO! 💙💙💙 Shaun Parker 11 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:51:46 How we have missed Jimmy Garner,He has been pure class this half. Welcome back lad. Ernie Baywood 12 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:57:27 Same players that we've had for most of the season, and they are the same limited footballers, but that third goal summed it up for me. Tarkowski refused to bomb it long when there was nothing on and eventually we worked the ball into midfielders who created a chance. They're Premier League footballers. How on earth did people get convinced that they couldn't play any football? Looking strongly like we're about to have 3 wins on the bounce, consecutive home games where we've scored 3 in a half, and pretty much clear of trouble. Quite a turnaround. Alan J Thompson 13 Posted 01/02/2025 at 15:58:04 Well, what can you say. We've kicked off and Pickford's gone down as an assist. I thought we should have had a penalty to go 3 up as the defender hit Beto and was nowhere near the ball and then Ndiaye gets a foul for the exact same thing only outside the box.And almost just to rub it in Beto, who knows how to finish, gets a third very similar to the first two.My hope now is that we don't sit back trying to just see out time, the whole of the second half, as their central defence looks there for the taking. Bill Gall 14 Posted 01/02/2025 at 16:03:46 Well we were worried when Managala got injured about who will take his place,. Step up J.Garner what a game he is having. Rob Hooton 15 Posted 01/02/2025 at 16:06:57 I did put a bet on for Duke to score first and for Everton to win at 12/1, shame I only put a quid on it 😂 If Duke commits a foul and Leicester score one second half, then I’ll also get £40 for that (can cash out for £9 now).I jokingly mentioned that Beto would get a hat trick too, wish I’d bet on that! Mihir Ambardekar 16 Posted 01/02/2025 at 16:08:10 DCL does a lot of hard work but is a poor finisher. Beto looks clumsy if has to work like DCL but is much better finisher. Ball needs to be played in front of him as he has good pace and is good in one on one situations. Worked very well today. Hope he bangs a lot of goals till the end of season. One less player to worry. Rob Hooton 17 Posted 01/02/2025 at 16:09:33 Jimmy Garner has been fantastic, Everton proper bossed that first half.Beto looks like a proper striker.Mykolenko transformed and back to his best, he’s put some cracking crosses in these last couple of matches.Daddy’s fucking home (tee hee). Shaun Parker 18 Posted 01/02/2025 at 16:24:27 How good has O’Brien been since he’s come in. Im still not sold on Beto. His general play is crap. Best game Doucoure has had all season. Nicolas Piñon 19 Posted 01/02/2025 at 16:43:43 LoLyoure the new mark lawrenson rob! LoLOtherwise Alcaraz played here at racing club in argentina and he was pretty good, hope its done finally Ian Jones 21 Posted 01/02/2025 at 16:56:03 Isn't it 4 nil? Kieran Kinsella 22 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:04:35 All this hype but as far as I can see the only things Moyes has improved so far have been results and performances. Steve Brown 23 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:07:14 4-0 battering. Brilliant performance and 8-0 wouldn’t have flattered us.James Garner MoTM. Alan J Thompson 24 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:08:06 A well finished job and I hope we make Lindstrom a permanent move as he is improving every game or perhaps those who've seen more of him might comment on whether he's just coming back into form but when he went off we seemed to have less options up front.I didn't understand the point of bringing Young on as a sub and it looked the ideal moment to give Armstrong a run and Ndiaye shows what ball players can do.So much for Mr Dyche the saviour but new manager bounce or just the Moyes effect it's good to see us playing some football again.The only downside of the game seemed to be the totally inconsistent refereeing as he seemed reluctant to give fouls in the box which he gave when committed outside, and was VAR involved at any time? Mal van Schaick 25 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:09:42 Great performance and result, hats off to the Manager and staff who have transformed the players and tactics, and that shone through in that game, bring on you know who! Christy Ring 26 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:10:08 Massive result again, 3 in a row now, you have to hand it to Moyes, a complete change in tactics. Great to see Garner back in midfield, thought he was MoM. Pat Kelly 27 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:14:13 Well done Moyes. And DCL’s absence has improved us enormously. He can pack his bags. Barry Rathbone 28 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:15:12 Can't believe it.Well done blue boys and another hat tip to Moyes 3 wins on the bounce is madness. Mike Gaynes 29 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:16:20 The epidemic of burglaries at footballer's homes has struck Beto. Police say the missing items appear to include all his suitcases, plane tickets dated Monday and an official-looking envelope with a Turin return address. Darrel Pugh 30 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:16:29 Didn’t go today but the return of that inner joy at 5pm on a Saturday as Everton win a game. It might whistling Z Cars and a cup of tea but it will do! COYB…. Christine Foster 31 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:17:02 Very,very good performance all round, the two players most criticized(?) providing the first goals and an excellent response to their detractors (of which I confess I was one) Moyes has shown that he could get more from the players than Dyche, making the change more than justified. Well done blues, well done! Derek Knox 32 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:24:20 All played well, even Doucoure, Yes you heard that right. Can't understand Young and Harrison subs, should have been Armstrong and Sherif to give them some taste of Premiership action. George Cumiskey 33 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:25:26 Great performance and result Garner outstanding. Mihir Ambardekar 34 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:25:56 That was superb. Happy for Beto scoring the brace. Thank you Everton. Happy Weekend Blues! Graham Mockford 35 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:27:05 Anybody else feel the gritted teeth in that match report? Gerry Quinn 36 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:28:54 Martin Berry 37 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:29:14 It just shows if you play the right pass then Beto can put them away, I thought his physicality caused problems all afternoon for Leicester.Garner also had a great re introduction, in fact all the team played well.Biggest thanks goes to the Boss who has changed the formation, thinking and belief, like a team transformed and that before any new signings ! Mike Gaynes 38 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:30:27 DK #32, my man, you just shocked me!I'd have been happy to see Armstrong, but I was happier to see Tim. Ed Prytherch 39 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:35:11 Lack of good crosses was the excuse for DCL not scoring, but 4 today and not one from a cross and all very well taken. What a difference a good manager makes. Nick Strong 40 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:39:10 All you Moyes doubters eat your words. There was so many fans moaning when he got the job, you’ve got to remember when he was here last time he worked miracles with no money we had a team to be proud of. There’s no reason why he won’t do that again !! The club is in a safe hands finally Neil Lawson 41 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:39:39 Watched 2nd half in a bar in Tenerife. The only blue there. Competing with the other games and the rugby. What was impressive was the control and professionalism in the 2nd half. Leicester barely had a sniff. Rare to watch my beloved Everton at 3-0 without significant nerves and with confidence that 3 points were safe. Hats off to Moyes. More wins than the other bloke managed all season. The result and the performance speak volumes. Safety not yet guaranteed but surely we can be confident that we are becoming good enough to claim points in any game. Unfortunately, this morning I booked a romantic table not realising it coincides with a certain fixture v Redshite. Worse still, the restaurant is within earshot of a sports bar which will be filled by all those Redshite followers from Kent, Surrey and London. Fingers crossed they are silent. Christy Ring 42 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:43:02 Pat#27 A bit over the top, DCL looked a total different player against Spurs, under Moyes. Brian Hennessy 43 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:43:55 We are now just 3 points off 12th. I wouldn.t rule out a top 10 finish the way Moyes has us playing. Just fantastic to be looking up the table rather than down. Colin Crooks 44 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:45:26 Didnt want Moyes. I was certain we would stay up anyway, but this simply wouldnt have happened under Dyche. It wouldnt.Well done Davey boy..Graham 35.Have a day off. We don't get many Saturday evenings to celebrate together. Lets grab it while we can Iain Johnston 45 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:45:38 Well played blues! Thought Garner was excellent considering his lay off, more to come from him I think. Lindstrom is a different player and Beto getting service.Could ask for more but I won't, so far so good for me! Ben King 46 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:45:40 Brilliant brilliant win! Garner, Beto, back 4: all superb!! How lovely to be 10 points clear of the team 3rd bottom!Woo HooI don’t think Moyes has the same impact at another club. And I don’t think Everton get the same results with a different manager. It’s quite a synergetic relationship I think Kieran Kinsella 47 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:48:21 BenI would disagree. I think it worked out nicely at WHU for Moyes. Look at them before and after each of his spells. The problem with Moyes is his glass ceiling of inferiority. It isn't a problem now for us as we have underperformed for years but towards the end of his last spell here, and his last at WHU he showed he struggles to "kick on" to the next level. As I say, we are a long way from that point yet but it has been his achilles down the years. For now though, onwards and upwards. Peter Smith 48 Posted 01/02/2025 at 17:48:50 You have to play to players strengths. I'm sure DCL would have had a much better second half of the season under Moyes. How many times did players get to the byline and put in crosses under Dyche ?Beto is a completely different player, he needs the ball played so that he can run on to it. I have far more faith in Moyes, to get the best out of the players available. 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