THE may be the subject of intense transfer speculation, but Romelu Lukaku put that behind him to put Leicester to the sword in a cracker of a game at Goodison Park today.
Everton secured a 4-2 triumph with the Belgian striker scoring twice to make it 30 goals in all competitions this season, 23 of them in the Premier League.
That total is now more than the entire Middlesbrough side have managed all season in the league.
Meanwhile Leicester, who perhaps had one eye on Atletico Madrid in their midweek Champions League clash, will still feel a victory or two is needed to guarantee Premier League survival.
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Everton sent their fans into raptures after just 30 seconds, when Tom Davies collected the ball from Kevin Mirallas’ break into the box to coolly fire home.
But incredibly, in just nine minutes, Leicester were 2-1 up.
First, Islam Slimani was picked out by Demarai Gray to slot his effort past Joel Robles in the Everton goal, and then Marc Albrighton curled home a free-kick from 25 yards out, though it’s difficult to say whether it was a cross or a shot.
On 23 minutes the game was back all-square again when Ross Barkley’s delicious cross into the area was headed home powerfully by wantaway striker Lukaku.
And incredibly, Everton went 3-2 up two minutes before the goal when Phil Jagielka scored his second goal in five days when he powered home a header from a corner.
And Leicester's defensive frailties were exposed once again just 12 minutes into the second half.
The visitors failed to clear a corner, and the ball fell to the lethal Lukaku, who hammered home for 4-2.
Fact, Stats, Goals and Lols
- CRAIG SHAKESPEARE made five changes for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Athletico giving a rest to Christian Fuchs, Shinji Okazaki, Riyad Mahrez, Danny Simpson and Wilfred Ndidi.
- TOM DAVIES nets after just 31 seconds but it was not the quickest in the Prem this season – that record is held by Chelsea’s Pedro who scored against Manchester United in October a whole second faster.
- MARC ALBRIGHTON showed a lot of skill to curl his tenth minute free kick but Joel Robles will not have impressed boss Ronald Koeman in his failure to keep the attempt out at his far post.
- BRILLIANT REACTION from ref Robet Bradley to play on after Kevin Mirallas was dumped on the edge of the box - the ball rolling to scorer Davies.
- CRAIG SHAKESPEARE arrived at Goodison looking to be part of very famous company by starting in his job with six straight Prem wins – just like Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola.
- ISLAM SLIMANI’S equaliser meant that both teams in a Prem game had scored within the first four minutes since Spurs v Sunderland in September 2014
- ROMELU LUKAKU’s value can only keep going up after he notched his 22rd Prem goal - he has now scored twelve goals in his last eight home games
- MISS OF the season? Tom Davies robs Andy King, the ball spins to Ross Barkley who goes round Kasper Schmeichel….and rolls the ball a yard wide from just six yards out
- PHIL JAGIELKA had to wait 703 days since his previous goal before his strike last week at Old Trafford – then two come along within a week
- ONE MAN team – Romelu Lukaku’s 23rd league goal of the season means he has now out-scored Middlesbrough (22).
Big Picture
Next five fixtures
Everton
Premier League - Burnley (H), Sat 15 Apr
Premier League - West Ham United (A), Sat 22 Apr
Premier League - Chelsea (H), Sun 30 Apr
Premier League - Swansea City (A), Sat 6 May
Premier League - Watford (H), Sat 13 May
Leicester
Champions League Quarter-Finals - Atlético Madrid (A), Wed 12 Apr
Premier League - Crystal Palace (A), Sat 15 Apr
Champions League Quarter-Finals - Atlético Madrid (H), Tue 18 Apr
Premier League - Arsenal (A), Wed 26 Apr
Premier League - West Bromwich Albion (A), Sat 29 Apr
Social Says
Really hope we somehow manage to keep hold of #Lukaku & #Barkley add some more quality in the summer, we will be a top side next season
— Paul Edwards (@PaulEddie84) April 9, 2017
Lukaku banging so many goals he's tired of celebrating them
— shaq
(@shaquinho8) April 9, 2017
Slimani wearing gloves?
Hope we don't get the weather he's expecting— Dave Haustead (@seagull60) April 9, 2017
Tom Davies is some talent. Brilliant player
— TeeMac
(@TeeMac32) April 9, 2017
Dream Team Ratings
Everton: Robles, Holgate, Pennington, Jagielka 8, Baines, Gueye 7, Schneiderlin (Barry, 73), Davies, Barkley 8, R Lukaku 8, Mirallas 8
Subs (not used): E Valencia, Stekelenburg, Calvert-Lewin, Lookman, Kenny, Williams
Goals: Davies (1), Lukaku (23, 57), Jagielka (41)
Booked: Baines, Mirallas
Leicester: Schmeichel 5, Amartey, Benalouane 5, Huth 5, Chilwell, Albrighton 7 (Ulloa, 78), King, Drinkwater, Gray (Mahrez, 61), Slimani, Vardy (Musa, 61 5)
Subs (not used): Kapustka, Simpson, Zieler, Wasilewski
Goals: Slimani (4), Albrighton (10)
Booked: Huth, King
Star Man: Mirallas (Everton)
What They Said
Man of the match Ross Barkley: "It was entertaining today, the big man [Lukaku] was on fire, and we came away with the three points so it was a solid result for us.
"We have got a lot of quality in attacking areas, and we stuck at it and came away with the win
Goalscorer Romelu Lukaku: "I think at home we have the advantage with the fans, and in the away games we have to do the same.
"We have played together many times. With the new position he is playing in, he can be more creative, and it can help me out."
Everton boss Ronald Koeman: "We played really clever, controlled the game, it was a really good team performance today.
"It is always difficult against Leicester, there were lots of times we had one more player in the midfield, we made it really difficult for Leicester this afternoon.
"They need to play at the level they can play and they normally do. They showed today they are fantastic players, two players on a high level this afternoon, but all players played at a high level."
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