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Everton thrash Leicester to ease relegation concerns

February 1, 2025
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Everton thrash Leicester to ease relegation concerns
Everton 4 – 0 Leicester

Abdoulaye Doucouré scored the fastest goal in Everton history as the Toffees put four past Leicester City and racked up their third successive win under David Moyes’s stewardship in fine style.

Doucouré raced onto Jordan Pickford’s ball forward and fired home with just 10 seconds gone and that set the home side on their way to an impressive victory that goes a long way to banishing fears of relegation.

The manager was forced to make changes to the side that started at Brighton due to injuries to two more first-choice players but drew excellent performances from the two replacements in what was a great display all round.

Beto came in to lead the line in place of Dominic Calvert-Lewin while James Garner made his first appearance following a long lay-off with a back problem and the Blues got off to a scintillating start.

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After Doucouré had banged in the fourth-quickest goal since the inception of the Premier League, Beto doubled the lead in the sixth minute as James Tarkowski released him down the channel and he surged into the box before burying his shot past the goalkeeper.

Jake O’Brien had the ball in net following a corner but was rightly flagged offside while Doucouré should have extended Everton’s lead to three when Vitalii Mykolenko picked him out with a low cross from the left. However,  he side-footed over from close range but Beto made no mistake when his second clear chance arrived in first-half stoppage time.

Latching onto James Garner’s perfectly-weighted pass, he rolled the ball past Mads Hermansen to put the Blues into a commanding lead at the interval.

The second half was, predictably, less intense from the home side’s perspective given the big lead they had established but Jesper Lindstrøm had a gilt-edged chance to open his account before Iliman Ndiaye rounded off the rout in the 90th minute. 

Hassling Jannik Vestergaard and Caleb Okoli, the Senegalese pounced on a ricochet and was left with just the keeper to beat which he did with aplomb.

The result lifts Everton above Tottenham in the table for the time being but also put 10 points between them and the relegation zone.

 

Reader Comments (51)

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Rob Hooton

1 Posted
01/02/2025 at
14:38:48

As Doucouré has managed to claim 2 spots in the team, I’m going to place a £1 bet on him scoring today. He has to do something at some point, surely?


Edward Rogers

2 Posted
01/02/2025 at
14:57:34

Hope it’s not as quiet at Goodison as it is on here.


Ernie Baywood

3 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:02:07

Hope you got that bet on!


Kieran Kinsella

4 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:03:53

Rob money well spent mate but which of the two scored?


Michael Fox

5 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:05:37

All you Doucouré haters Shush.


Brendan McLaughlin

6 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:09:55

2-0

Edge of the seat time.


Nicolas Piñon

8 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:13:24

Rob you should say that every game! LOL


Craig Walker

9 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:15:23

Just don’t concede, Blues and we should have no more relegation fears this season. Get a free hit against the RS.

For Moyes to get as many wins in 4 matches as Dyche managed all season would be some achievement.

COYB


Peter Moore

10 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:50:50

The tactical tweak by Moyes has worked wonderfully so far, against crap opposition to be fair, but can only play what is in front of you. The team were shot shy and shite going forward in the run up to his appointment of course, save the 4-0 win over Wolves of course. His faith in O’Brien being repayed handsomely.

Doucoure has some big moments for sure. His only goal of the last match two seasons back kept us up of course. Without that goal, we were down. I will always personally be very grateful for that!

Then this earliest ever home goal in the history of the Premier League. Not bad at all.

Personally, being a layman, not a football manager, I would have dropped him for Harrison Armstrong!

Well played David Moyes! Getting the team to have belief and confidence again, getting the fans back on side. Fantastic.

Beto is a better finisher than DCL. Not a high bar that of course, but gotta love the lad! What a Portugeezer that’s a pressure easer!

UTFT! COYB! NSNO! 💙💙💙


Shaun Parker

11 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:51:46

How we have missed Jimmy Garner,

He has been pure class this half.

Welcome back lad.


Ernie Baywood

12 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:57:27

Same players that we’ve had for most of the season, and they are the same limited footballers, but that third goal summed it up for me. Tarkowski refused to bomb it long when there was nothing on and eventually we worked the ball into midfielders who created a chance.

They’re Premier League footballers. How on earth did people get convinced that they couldn’t play any football?

Looking strongly like we’re about to have 3 wins on the bounce, consecutive home games where we’ve scored 3 in a half, and pretty much clear of trouble. Quite a turnaround.


Alan J Thompson

13 Posted
01/02/2025 at
15:58:04

Well, what can you say. We’ve kicked off and Pickford’s gone down as an assist. I thought we should have had a penalty to go 3 up as the defender hit Beto and was nowhere near the ball and then Ndiaye gets a foul for the exact same thing only outside the box.

And almost just to rub it in Beto, who knows how to finish, gets a third very similar to the first two.

My hope now is that we don’t sit back trying to just see out time, the whole of the second half, as their central defence looks there for the taking.


Bill Gall

14 Posted
01/02/2025 at
16:03:46

Well we were worried when Managala got injured about who will take his place,
. Step up J.Garner what a game he is having.


Rob Hooton

15 Posted
01/02/2025 at
16:06:57

I did put a bet on for Duke to score first and for Everton to win at 12/1, shame I only put a quid on it 😂

If Duke commits a foul and Leicester score one second half, then I’ll also get £40 for that (can cash out for £9 now).

I jokingly mentioned that Beto would get a hat trick too, wish I’d bet on that!


Mihir Ambardekar

16 Posted
01/02/2025 at
16:08:10

DCL does a lot of hard work but is a poor finisher. Beto looks clumsy if has to work like DCL but is much better finisher. Ball needs to be played in front of him as he has good pace and is good in one on one situations. Worked very well today. Hope he bangs a lot of goals till the end of season. One less player to worry.


Rob Hooton

17 Posted
01/02/2025 at
16:09:33

Jimmy Garner has been fantastic, Everton proper bossed that first half.

Beto looks like a proper striker.

Mykolenko transformed and back to his best, he’s put some cracking crosses in these last couple of matches.

Daddy’s fucking home (tee hee).


Shaun Parker

18 Posted
01/02/2025 at
16:24:27

How good has O’Brien been since he’s come in.

Im still not sold on Beto. His general play is crap.

Best game Doucoure has had all season.


Nicolas Piñon

19 Posted
01/02/2025 at
16:43:43

LoLyoure the new mark lawrenson rob! LoL

Otherwise Alcaraz played here at racing club in argentina and he was pretty good, hope its done finally


Ian Jones

21 Posted
01/02/2025 at
16:56:03

Isn’t it 4 nil?


Kieran Kinsella

22 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:04:35

All this hype but as far as I can see the only things Moyes has improved so far have been results and performances.


Steve Brown

23 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:07:14

4-0 battering.

Brilliant performance and 8-0 wouldn’t have flattered us.

James Garner MoTM.


Alan J Thompson

24 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:08:06

A well finished job and I hope we make Lindstrom a permanent move as he is improving every game or perhaps those who’ve seen more of him might comment on whether he’s just coming back into form but when he went off we seemed to have less options up front.

I didn’t understand the point of bringing Young on as a sub and it looked the ideal moment to give Armstrong a run and Ndiaye shows what ball players can do.

So much for Mr Dyche the saviour but new manager bounce or just the Moyes effect it’s good to see us playing some football again.

The only downside of the game seemed to be the totally inconsistent refereeing as he seemed reluctant to give fouls in the box which he gave when committed outside, and was VAR involved at any time?


Mal van Schaick

25 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:09:42

Great performance and result, hats off to the Manager and staff who have transformed the players and tactics, and that shone through in that game, bring on you know who!


Christy Ring

26 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:10:08

Massive result again, 3 in a row now, you have to hand it to Moyes, a complete change in tactics. Great to see Garner back in midfield, thought he was MoM.


Pat Kelly

27 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:14:13

Well done Moyes. And DCL’s absence has improved us enormously. He can pack his bags.


Barry Rathbone

28 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:15:12

Can’t believe it.

Well done blue boys and another hat tip to Moyes 3 wins on the bounce is madness.


Mike Gaynes

29 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:16:20

The epidemic of burglaries at footballer’s homes has struck Beto. Police say the missing items appear to include all his suitcases, plane tickets dated Monday and an official-looking envelope with a Turin return address.


Darrel Pugh

30 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:16:29

Didn’t go today but the return of that inner joy at 5pm on a Saturday as Everton win a game. It might whistling Z Cars and a cup of tea but it will do! COYB….


Christine Foster

31 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:17:02

Very,very good performance all round, the two players most criticized(?) providing the first goals and an excellent response to their detractors (of which I confess I was one) Moyes has shown that he could get more from the players than Dyche, making the change more than justified. Well done blues, well done!


Derek Knox

32 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:24:20

All played well, even Doucoure, Yes you heard that right. Can’t understand Young and Harrison subs, should have been Armstrong and Sherif to give them some taste of Premiership action.


George Cumiskey

33 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:25:26

Great performance and result Garner outstanding.


Mihir Ambardekar

34 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:25:56

That was superb. Happy for Beto scoring the brace. Thank you Everton. Happy Weekend Blues!


Graham Mockford

35 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:27:05

Anybody else feel the gritted teeth in that match report?


Gerry Quinn

36 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:28:54


Martin Berry

37 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:29:14

It just shows if you play the right pass then Beto can put them away, I thought his physicality caused problems all afternoon for Leicester.
Garner also had a great re introduction, in fact all the team played well.
Biggest thanks goes to the Boss who has changed the formation, thinking and belief, like a team transformed and that before any new signings !


Mike Gaynes

38 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:30:27

DK #32, my man, you just shocked me!

I’d have been happy to see Armstrong, but I was happier to see Tim.


Ed Prytherch

39 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:35:11

Lack of good crosses was the excuse for DCL not scoring, but 4 today and not one from a cross and all very well taken.
What a difference a good manager makes.


Nick Strong

40 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:39:10

All you Moyes doubters eat your words. There was so many fans moaning when he got the job, you’ve got to remember when he was here last time he worked miracles with no money we had a team to be proud of. There’s no reason why he won’t do that again !! The club is in a safe hands finally


Neil Lawson

41 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:39:39

Watched 2nd half in a bar in Tenerife. The only blue there. Competing with the other games and the rugby. What was impressive was the control and professionalism in the 2nd half. Leicester barely had a sniff. Rare to watch my beloved Everton at 3-0 without significant nerves and with confidence that 3 points were safe. Hats off to Moyes. More wins than the other bloke managed all season. The result and the performance speak volumes. Safety not yet guaranteed but surely we can be confident that we are becoming good enough to claim points in any game. Unfortunately, this morning I booked a romantic table not realising it coincides with a certain fixture v Redshite. Worse still, the restaurant is within earshot of a sports bar which will be filled by all those Redshite followers from Kent, Surrey and London. Fingers crossed they are silent.


Christy Ring

42 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:43:02

Pat#27 A bit over the top, DCL looked a total different player against Spurs, under Moyes.


Brian Hennessy

43 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:43:55

We are now just 3 points off 12th. I wouldn.t rule out a top 10 finish the way Moyes has us playing. Just fantastic to be looking up the table rather than down.


Colin Crooks

44 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:45:26

Didnt want Moyes. I was certain we would stay up anyway, but this simply wouldnt have happened under Dyche. It wouldnt.

Well done Davey boy..

Graham 35.

Have a day off. We don’t get many Saturday evenings to celebrate together. Lets grab it while we can


Iain Johnston

45 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:45:38

Well played blues! Thought Garner was excellent considering his lay off, more to come from him I think. Lindstrom is a different player and Beto getting service.

Could ask for more but I won’t, so far so good for me!


Ben King

46 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:45:40

Brilliant brilliant win!

Garner, Beto, back 4: all superb!! How lovely to be 10 points clear of the team 3rd bottom!

Woo Hoo

I don’t think Moyes has the same impact at another club. And I don’t think Everton get the same results with a different manager. It’s quite a synergetic relationship I think


Kieran Kinsella

47 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:48:21

Ben

I would disagree. I think it worked out nicely at WHU for Moyes. Look at them before and after each of his spells. The problem with Moyes is his glass ceiling of inferiority. It isn’t a problem now for us as we have underperformed for years but towards the end of his last spell here, and his last at WHU he showed he struggles to “kick on” to the next level. As I say, we are a long way from that point yet but it has been his achilles down the years. For now though, onwards and upwards.


Peter Smith

48 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:48:50

You have to play to players strengths. I’m sure DCL would have had a much better second half of the season under Moyes. How many times did players get to the byline and put in crosses under Dyche ?
Beto is a completely different player, he needs the ball played so that he can run on to it. I have far more faith in Moyes, to get the best out of the players available.


Mike Gaynes

49 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:50:13

Fastest goals in Prem history:

1. Shane Long, 7.69 seconds
2. Philip Billing, 9.11 seconds
3. Ledley King, 9.82 seconds
4. Doucoure, 10.18 seconds


Sam Hoare

50 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:51:20

Delighted for Moyes and Beto who have both taken more flak than they deserve. Beto is not a back to goal striker but looks good running onto through balls.

3 wins in a row and creating chances at will. Amazing what confidence does. And a new manager.

Relegation fears all but gone with an effective 11 point gap and now it’s time to start looking up the table rather than down. Reckon we can get an old Phil Walling seventh-ish? (Spoiler alert- almost definitely not!)


Simon Harrison

51 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:54:00

Did anybody else notice how much fitter the players seem in only two weeks?

Kudos to Moyes and Mackinley methinks.


Gaute Lie

52 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:54:51

Well. Nothing else to say than: IN MOYES WE TRUST!!

Congratulations to the team! Congratulations to David Moyes! Congratulations to the fans!


Ben King

53 Posted
01/02/2025 at
17:55:05

Kieran #47

Let’s see. I guess it depends what Moyes’ overall brief if.

No doubt it was initially to steer us away from relegation. Beyond that, who knows

Anyway, so far, so good. Manager of the month?

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