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Post by Everton News. on Apr 27, 2024 15:28:41 GMT
Youssef Chermiti is handed a first Premier League start as Sean Dyche makes two changes from the side that started the Merseyside derby win over Liverpool in midweek.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin misses out on the matchday squad, while Ashley Young replaces the injured Vitalii Mykolenko in the Blues' starting line-up.
Jordan Pickford continues in goal, with Young joined by Ben Godfrey, Jarrad Branthwaite and captain James Tarkowski in defence.
Idrissa Gana Gueye, James Garner and Abdoulaye Doucoure make up the midfield, while Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison will occupy the flanks.
Chermiti, who has played 70 Premier League minutes over 14 substitutes appearances, spearheads the attack.
Youngsters Lewis Warrington, Mackenzie Hunt and Jenson Metcalfe make the bench.
Everton starting XI: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski (c), Branthwaite, Godfrey, Gana, Garner, Doucoure, McNeil, Harrison, Chermiti. Everton substitutes: Virginia, Lonergan, Keane, Onana, Danjuma, Gomes, Warrington, Hunt, Metcalfe.
Brentford starting XI: Flekken, Pinnock, Norgaard (c), Jensen, Wissa, Reguilon, Toney, Mbeumo, Ajer, Collins, Janelt. Brentford substitutes: Valdimarsson, Schade, Zanka, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Roerslev, Yarmoliuk.
Everton FC
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Post by Everton News. on Apr 27, 2024 18:46:49 GMT
Everton sealed top-flight football for a 71st consecutive season with a 1-0 win over Brentford at Goodison Park, the Blues' third home victory in the space of six memorable days. This was a game that, in truth, lacked the fireworks or break-neck tempo of the superb 2-0 win over Liverpool less than 72 hours earlier, but Idrissa Gana Gueye's well-taken strike on the hour mark was enough to seal an all-important triumph. After Luton Town had lost at Wolves and Burnley could only manage a draw at Manchester United earlier in the day, a draw would have all but sealed Everton's safety, however a win sees the Toffees leapfrog Brentford into 15th in the table and makes mathematically sure that Premier League football will be on show for Goodison's farewell campaign. Sean Dyche made two changes - both enforced - from the side that started the Merseyside derby, with Youssef Chermiti handed a maiden Premier League start and Ashley Young returning to the starting XI in place of Vitalii Mykolenko (ankle) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (illness). The early signs seemed to suggest no signs of an adrenaline hangover in the opening stages, a banner-filled Gwladys Street leading the roar to greet the players out of the tunnel - and it was Everton that manufactured the first opportunity with less than six minutes on the clock. Ethan Pinnock could only manage a glancing header on Ben Godfrey's cross, with the ball falling to Dwight McNeil at the far post. The Blues winger set himself before firing back across the face of goal, with his shot-turned-cross only just evading the on-rushing Chermiti. That moment, however, proved to be something of a false dawn with both sides settling into a fairly tame rhythm for the remainder of the first half. Brentford's best opportunity - perhaps of the entire contest - came on 20 minutes when Vitaly Janelt got to the left byline and dug out a cut-back for Mathias Jensen, only for Jarrad Branthwaite to intervene with a crucial block with the Bees midfielder looking destined to score. The home side finished the opening period in the ascendancy, but Harrison saw a shot well-blocked before Doucoure sliced a left-footed volley wide after neat centre-forward play by Chermiti which meant it would be goalless at the break. The Bees mustered a rare threat on Everton's goal five minutes after the interval but Pickford read Jensen's intelligent cross and positioned himself perfectly to block the returning Ivan Toney's close-range effort. Dwight McNeil came within millimetres of a stunning opener three minutes later. Afforded space 25 yards from goal, the winger unleashed a venomous left-footed drive that swerved away from Mark Flekken and thundered off the crossbar with the Brentford goalkeeper well beaten. The crucial moment came on 60 minutes, and it began with a superb passage of possession from the Blues which resulted in a corner. The visitors dealt with James Garner's initial delivery but the Toffees remained on the front foot and when Branthwaite was snuffed out following Harrison's cut-back, the ball fell into the path of Gana, who expertly dispatched the ball past two Brentford defenders and into the top corner of the net. Everton saw out the remainder of the contest with little drama. Garner went close to adding a second in stoppage time but his deep free-kick struck the woodwork. But one would be enough to seal the deal and there were scenes of relief on the full-time whistle, with barely a spare seat in the house as the sold-out Goodison crowd stayed behind to salute a mammoth effort from Dyche's side. 'We Shall Not Be Moved' rang out from all four stands, with three home wins in less than a week securing safety with three games remaining following a turbulent term. Everton FC
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Post by Avinalaff on Apr 27, 2024 18:50:24 GMT
Over the line - fair play to Sean Dyche.
It was always going to be a bit of an anti-climax after the Liverpool game but we got the job done.
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Post by Everton News. on Apr 27, 2024 18:53:50 GMT
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Post by rugbytoffee on Apr 27, 2024 19:16:23 GMT
And relax.
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