Seamus profits from keeper Meslier’s Blue-per
POUND for pound, Seamus Coleman ranks with Everton’s greatest signings.
And the veteran full-back may also have scored one of their most important goals, as his bizarre finish after a horrific mistake from Leeds keeper Illan Meslier delivered a victory which lifted Everton out of the relegation zone.
Coleman has only scored two goals in his past four seasons but every time he has found the net, 28 times during his Goodison career, Everton have not lost. This was perhaps the most important victory of the lot.
It gives Sean Dyche’s side a little breathing space at the bottom, especially as his goal reduced Leeds to a shocking shadow of a team that desperately needs the swift appointment of a new manager.
There was fortune though, as the defender marauded forward alone and hit what appeared a hopeful, if sweetly-struck cross. Somehow though, Meslier had gone walkabout, standing virtually on his six-yard box line as the ball fizzed in at his near post.
Such a ridiculous gift destroyed any heart the visitors possessed, and gave the Blues their second win at home under Dyche where they had recorded three victories all season before his arrival.
Leeds could pay for the mistake with relegation. They had actually done their job up until the moment Coleman’s solo canter towards the box result in the most bizarre and ridiculous of goals.
Their game plan was to silence the crowd and make them turn any agitation aimed at the club’s owner towards their team. For an hour, the nerves frittering through the sullen gloom of a dank afternoon spoke of their success.
Yet if temporary boss Michael Skubala would have been delighted with that aspect of the game plan, then he could only cast his eyes to the heavens at the howler which turned this contest.
Skubala admitted Meslier’s positioning was at fault for the crucial opening goal but refused to blame his goalkeeper for the defeat.
“Illan has been caught off his line. He’s saved us points this season but he was out of position for that,” he said.
“I thought we stood up without the ball but we needed to be better with the ball. I thought we battled quite well but didn’t create enough.
We knew how big the game was. Everton are physical, they are strong, they run. You have to adapt.”
Dyche has instilled real fight into his team, and that could yet keep them up.
He said: “I thought that mentality was clear today. It is another step in the right direction.
“You see the other results today (relegation-threatened Southampton and Bournemouth both won), the topsy-turvy nature of the Premier League.
“It just reinforces the work we do with the players.”
EVERTON: Pickford 6; Coleman 8, Coady 7, Tarkowski 7, Mykolenko 7; Gueye 8; Iwobi 6, Doucoure 7, Onana 6 (Davies (74) 6), Mcneil 7; Maupay 6 (Simms (82) 5)
LEEDS: Meslier 4; Ayling 7, Koch 7, Wober 6
(Kristensen (46) 6), Firpo 6; Mckennie 6 (Rutter
(79) 5), Adams 7; Summerville 5 (Aaronson (62) 6), Harrison 6 (Greenwood (86) 5), Gnonto 6; Bamford 6
STAR MAN: Seamus Coleman – Massive captain’s contribution from a player who clearly cares.
REF: Andy Madley 6