Toffees finally show their full potential to see off Bees
THERE is no such thing as a must-win in September but Everton men played as if their lives depended on it. Full of confidence and resilience, they were superb There was enough in this performance to show manager Sean Dyche and prospective owners that they should not be in a relegation battle.
James Tarkowski led superbly against his former side, directing Everton from the back and showing how much of a nuisance he can cause in attacking positions.
His second-half header capped a man-of-the-match display.
Abdoulaye Doucoure was immense, scoring his seventh goal in his last 16 league games. Mind you, he had failed to score in his previous 39 and he was unlucky not to get two here.
Brentford equalised through Mathias Jensen but Dominic Calvert-Lewin put the game to bed in his 250th professional game, and he cracked a smile as wide as the River Mersey when he slotted in his first goal of the season.
Winless in their first five, defeat for Everton would have made this their worst start to a season since 1958. Instead, they got their first Premier League win of the season and their first victory in London since 2021.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank made two changes following their defeat at Newcastle last week, with
Mads Roerslev and Kevin
Schade coming in for Ben Mee and Rico Henry, who is set to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
But Schade pulled up in a shooting drill during the warm-up, forcing Frank to bring Keane Lewis-Potter into the XI for his first league start since last November.
The winger didn’t take long to have an impact, driving down the left flank before he was fouled by Ashley Young after with 38 seconds.
Minutes later, Everton were ahead. Dyche made one change from their defeat by Arsenal, with James Garner replacing Arnaut Danjuma as Dyche went for a more defensive line-up, and it was Garner who was influential in the breakthrough.
Everton’s first corner came back out to Garner on the left wing, and he floated the ball back into the box where Tarkowski headed into the path of Doucoure, who fired his rightfooted strike past Mark Flecken.
They should have doubled their lead but Dwight McNeil dragged his shot wide after a lovely header from Beto, before Vitali Mykolenko fired straight at Flecken.
Doucoure, operating just behind Beto, was causing carnage and Tarkowski nearly turned provider again when his long ball found the Malian, who chested the ball down before smashing his effort against the bar.
Somehow, it remained 1-0 and perhaps that was the wake-up call for Frank’s side, who made Everton pay for their wastefulness.
Jensen’s clever flick moved the ball forward and, when Jarrad Branthwaite’s weak clearance came out to Vitaly Janelt, the German fizzed the ball into the path of Jensen down the right.
The Danish international finished in style past Jordan Pickford to level things up, surviving a VAR check for offside in the buildup.
When the whistle blew for half-time, it was one apiece, but such were the chances in the half that it could easily have been 3-3.
Either side could have gone into the break with the lead, but failed to take their chances.
Beto scuffed his effort wide after a lovely Everton move. Idrissa Gana Gueye put Beto through on goal with a delightful pass, but the Portuguese forward scooped the ball wide.
At the other end, Bryan Mbuemo’s cross-cum-shot evaded everyone, with Tarkowski doing just enough to force Lewis-Potter to shoot wide.
Frank rolled the dice first with two changes on the hour mark, before Beto’s evening came to an end, replaced by Calvert-Lewin.
For Beto, this was another impressive display and if he can improve his ruthlessness in front of goal, Everton know they have a lethal asset.
Five minutes later, Everton were in front as Tarkowski headed in from McNeil’s corner and, shortly after, Calvert-Lewin finished through the legs of Flecken.
For Dyche and Co, they had scored more goals in 90 minutes here than they managed in their first five league matches combined this season.
BRENTFORD (4-3-3): Flekken 5; Hickey, 5 (Ghoddos 73min) Collins 5, Pinnock 5, Roerslev 5 (Ajer 61, 5); Jensen 7, Norgaard 6, Janelt 6 (Onyeka 61, 5); Mbeumo 6, Wissa 6, Lewis-Potter 6 (Olakigbe 89). Booked: Mbuemo, Ghoddos. Subs (not used): Strakosha, Balcombe, Zanka, Yarmolyuk, Brierley. Scorer: Jensen 28.
EVERTON (4-4-1-1): Pickford 7; Young 6, Tarkowski 8, Branthwaite 6, Mykolenko 6; Garner 6, Gueye 7, Onana 7 (Danjuma 77), Doucoure 7.5, McNeil 7; Beto 7 (CalvertLewin 62, 7). Booked: Young, Branthwaite. Subs (not used): Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Godfrey, Chermiti, Hunt, Dobbin. Scorers: Doucoure 6, Tarkowski 67, Calvert-Lewin 71. REFEREE: M Oliver (Northumberland) 7.