Match Report

Everton were heading for a well-earned goalless draw at Bournemouth in their first Premier League game of 2025, when substitute Brooks broke the deadlock with a firm volley that finally beat Pickford, who had put in another fantastic performance.

Dwight McNeil, Seamus Coleman, Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner are all sidelined through injury. Broja starts again. with Lindstrom picked instead of Harrison who is on the bench along with Calvert-Lewin but no Chermiti.

Gana kicked off for Everton. Branthwaite picked up a very early yellow card for his forceful challenge on Evanilson. Lindstrøm forced an early corner off Huijsen but Young's deliver 

From a Bournemouth corner, Pickford had to get down to his right quickly to save a scuffed shot from Ouattara off a long throw. An Everton corner 

Broja got wide and put in a cross that was too high for  Doucoure. Lindstrom then had a pop from distance and that flew well over. Christie whipped in a great ball that Semenyo clipped home but he was clearly offside. 

Everton came under some heavy pressure from The Cherries, Young heading away a decent centre. Everton countered but Broja kicked the ground hard as he shot and went down in some pain, with Ndiaye also needing treatment, the game restarting with a drop-ball for Everton. 

Evanilson got half a chance but drove his shot just wide. But The Cherries continued to attack with pace, Everton having to defend solidly.  Mangala gifted a Pickford clearance back to Evanilson but he was quickly closed down. 

Kluivert came even closer but Pickford was out brilliantly to block twice.  From the corner, Tarkowski was in quickly to block.  Evanilson caught Branthwaite in the face with his flailing arm as Broja went down again and was finally removed in favour of Calvert-Lewin, who hasn't scored now in 14 games.

It was pretty scrappy stuff as each team fought with increasing separation for supremacy, Pickford punching away a teasing corner from Christie. Everton tried to build but Young overhit his forward ball.

Ouattara got forward, Tarkowski blocking his cross behind, Chistie's shot off the corner needing blocking again. Ndiaye was thwarted just inside the Bournemouth box and Lindstrom's shot flew behind. 

Doucoure fed Gana whose shot was blocked to Ndiaye but he could not dig out the shot but Ouattara gave away the corner that was easily cleared. Kirkez put in a dangerous cross that Semenyo could only head at Pickford. 

Bournemouth drove forward again with Kluivert feeding Christie but his weak shot was easily fielded by Pickford, who had been very busy all half as 5 minutes of added time played out.

This saw yet more vital blocking from the Everton rearguard, Young giving up a late corner, played to the far post by Cook, Huijsen heading just over the bar to end the half. 

Armstrong was a surprise introduction for Mangala, with Patterson also on for Lindstrøm as second-half substitutes. But the pressure on the Everton defence resumed. A great challenge by Tarkowski stopped Evanilson but the ball fell to Semenyo who forced an excellent save by Pickford. 

Everton tried to advance but were pinned back again and conceded a corner that Evanilson headed softly to Pickford. Everton had some forward possession that ended with a high cross from Young, Travers parried it onto Armstrong's head but too high to control. 

The home side came even closer to scoring with some sharp interchanging play that only saw the ball roll once again into Pickford's hands.

Everton looked to control the midfield but it was played inadvertently to Evanilson and only a brilliant intervention by Patterson stopped him getting a run at the Everton goal. 

Ndiaye was trying hard as usual and he was body-checked by Huijsen but the deep hanging free-kick from Pickford didn't really work but it led to Young being pushed just outside the Cherries area near the byeline, but his chipped free-kick was easily cleared.

The counter was on for The Cherries until Branthwaite got brilliantly in front of Semenyo to clear the ball behind, Pickford punching away the corner. Ouattara dug out a tremendous low shot that was creeping in but Pickford got down well to push it behind for yet another Cherries corner that was cleared by Armstrong. 

A Patterson handball call was waved away. Young tried to play in Calvert-Lewin but Travers was out quickly. At the other end, another Cherries attack was ended by Evanlilson barging into Ndiaye. who was then fouled by Kluivert before a Cherries triple-change. 

Patterson did brilliantly to battle for the ball and drive forward but the shot was wayward. Gana did well to win back possession. The counter seemed to expose Everton for pace but there was Branthwaite to scoop the cross behind. Pickford was fouled as he punched the incoming ball. 

A ball in from Christie saw Unal fling himself at it but he could only glance it well wide. Evanilson faked a push on him by Tarkowski, who barely touched him (perhaps catching his heel). But from the restart, Everton were undone by sub Brooks who volleyed home Kirkez's cross, Branthwaite ducking, perhaps thinking Pickford had it covered? 

Everton tried to respond but Mykolenko's terrible shot flew high over the home goal. A wild effort from Semenyo flew well wide and Beto replaced Gana in a desperation move by Sean Dyche. Doucoure was booked for his clumsy take-down of Adams. The ball came through to Brooks who tried to repeat his volley but this one went wide. 

Beto was all arms and legs as he tangled with Adams. Everton's attempts to get forward were random and unstructured, with no attempts on target, but the ball did fall for Doucoure, whose powerful volley flew beyond the far post. 

At the other end, Young poorly wasted a free-kick and the pressure was again on Everton. Adams bravely took out Broja for an obvious yellow. Young gave away a free-kick as 3 minutes were added on with the battle continuing unabated until the final whistle.

Bournemouth:  Travers, Huijsen, Zabarnyi, Kerkez, Hill (70' Adams [Y:89']), Cook, Christie, Kluivert (70' Enes Unal), Ouattara (70' Brooks [Y:90+3']), Semenyo, Evanilson (82' Philip).

Subs not Used:  Arrizabalaga, Aarons, Winterburn, Kinsey, Rees-Dottin.

Everton:  Pickford, Mykolenko, Branthwaite [Y:2'], Tarkowski, Young. Ndiaye, Mangala (46' Armstrong), Doucoure  [Y:83'], Gueye (81' Beto), Lindstrøm (46' Patterson), Broja (32' Calvert-Lewin).

Subs not Used:  Virginia, Begovic, Keane, Harrison, O’Brien.

Referee: John Brooks
Video Assistant Referee: Matt Donohue

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Dwight McNeil will almost certainly be missing for this weekend's trip to the south coast as he continues to rehabilitate his injured knee.

The attacking midfielder has already missed four games with the problem that flared up after the 4-0 win over Wolves in early December.

“We are hopeful it is settling down and not going to be too long,” said Sean Dyche in his pre-match press conference at Finch Farm yesterday.

McNeil will be joined on the sidelines by Seamus Coleman who suffered what his manager described as a "very minor" strain during his first start of the season at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.

Dyche explained that, “Seamus is wait and see but it’s early days yet.” His place will likely be filled again by Ashley Young, although Nathan Patterson did his claims no harm with an encouraging cameo off the bench against Nottingham Forest last Sunday.

Meanwhile, Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner are "back on the grass", continuing their recoveries from respective foot and back injuries.

Lyndon Lloyd

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