Valencia comes on to light up Goodison gloom and inspire Everton victory

On-loan striker Enner Valencia may have given Everton manager Ronald Koeman one less thing to think about in the January transfer window after his game-changing substitute appearance in the 3-0 victory over Southampton.

The Ecuador international came off the bench to enliven a dreary occasion, scoring the 73rd-minute opener and winning the late penalty which allowed Leighton Baines to double their lead before Romelu Lukaku gave the scoreline a flattering appearance.

That late show papered over some of the cracks which were evident in the preceding three-quarters of a game which seemed to be meandering towards a dull draw until Valencia’s introduction.gaston Ramirez lashed a late chance wide to serve up a timely reminder of Middlesbrough’s need for attacking reinforcements in an eminently forgettable goalless draw with Leicester City at the Riverside Stadium.

The Uruguayan steered his half-volley wide from eight yards to sum up a frustrating afternoon for the hosts and give Boro boss Aitor Karanka plenty of reason to seek to finalise a deal for Aston Villa’s £6 million-rated Rudy Gestede who, on this evidence, will be welcomed with open arms on Teesside.

In-form West Bromwich Albion accepted Hull City’s gifts to pile more misery on the Tigers. Chris Brunt and Gareth Mcauley cashed in on errors before James Morrison clinched a 3-1 win for the Baggies at The Hawthorns.

Robert Snodgrass had given Hull a first-half lead, but the Tigers beat themselves during a second half littered with costly defensive mistakes.

Brunt and Mcauley were gifted free headers and Mike Phelan’s side are without a win in nine games and remain second bottom in the Premier League, three points from the safety line.

In contrast the upwardly mobile Baggies sit eighth, having won six of their last ten outings to set their second-best points haul of 29 in the top flight after 20 games.