Following the crucial 1-0 victory on December 2, a Times journalist responded on Twitter by praising a few of the important “blues brothers” who had helped eke out the three points against Steve Cooper’s team.
James Garner was praised as “outstanding,” and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was hailed as “huge” for several crucial saves. Sean Dyche’s team started the game well and managed to recover the ten points that were taken away from them.
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After playing reasonably well against Manchester United at Goodison Park and coming away empty-handed, the three points were all that mattered at the City Ground.
It required a stunning kick from Dwight McNeil, excellent play in every area of the pitch, and a bit of good fortune when VAR decided not to step in on a penalty call for Forest that Jamie Redknapp called “blatant” on Sky Sports.
This season has made it abundantly evident that one does not always follow the other, but Dyche and his team managed to secure the victory they required and, on the balance of play, certainly deserved.
At one point during the mayhem, Pickford and Tarkowski were willing to turn against one another in order to maintain the clean sheet, which was always going to be essential to the win.
Regardless of the merits or wrongs of the off-field spending situation and the resulting punishment, the players bear no accountability and have witnessed their much-improved performance this season evaporate.
A 3-0 loss to United after the Toffees had put on a respectable display would have been disheartening, as would having been thrown into the bottom three from the relative comfort of mid-table without kicking a ball. Therefore, Everton supporters should take great heart from this road-tested victory that showed a great deal of fight.
