Goals from Doucoure and Danjuma sandwich two first half Sheffield United goals to earn Everton their first points of the 23/24 campaign.
In Beto’s first ever Premier League start as an Everton player, Sean Dyche and company were on the road at potential relegation rivals Sheffield United as they looked to earn their first result of the Premier League season. The match began with perhaps the first real cheer of the season for blues fans, as Everton won a corner after a wicked Beto effort in the 13th minute. The ensuing corner was swung in and the United goalkeeper made a great save to deny Doucoure, before the midfielder got on the end of the rebound to bundle it in for Everton’s first goal of the league campaign and a 0-1 lead. Following a couple more chances for Everton through Beto and Danjuma, it was unfortunately the hosts who struck next.
Hamer came down the right and crossed in to find McBurnie, who set the ball for young starlet Cameron Archer to fire into the net to level the match at 1-1 via some porous defending from the Everton backline. Unfortunately, as has often been the case, when it rains for Everton it usually pours. In stoppage time of the first half, Archer once again had a chance and a thunderous effort smacked the woodwork and ultimately bounced off Pickford and into the net to give the hosts a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
Seven minutes into the second half, the toffees showed resilience and perhaps a surprising amount of attacking prowess to level the match. Beto did brilliantly to slip the ball to Nathan Patterson who swung in a low cross that found Danjuma. Arnaut found himself in a perfect position to tap home and level the match with his first Everton goal in the Premier League campaign, leveling the match at 2-2. In the 75th minute Dwight McNeil made his return from injury, adding much needed firepower in the Everton attack.
However, Sheffield United would have the last chance of the match and it was heart in mouth stuff late on. In an unbelievable 9th minute of 6 minutes of added time, it looked as if the hosts had found the winner. McBurnie produced a thunderous header that required a remarkable save from Jordan Pickford, who then made another brilliant save sitting on the ground to secure Everton a hard fought point.
The first point of the Premier League season gives Everton something to be positive about heading into the international break. Beto was all he has been hyped up to be, holding up play, winning Ariel duels and other providing a great focal point for the attack. Two goals in a match is something to smile at after not scoring in the first three as well, with Danjuma opening his Everton account. The club will help for some more positive injury news as Everton prepares for a match at Goodison Park against Arsenal next weekend.
UTFT!
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