It's wonderful to see three important players back for Everton. Tim Howard is back in goal while Everton creative dynamo Mikel Arteta is also back in the team. Also, Stubbsy. the rock of Everton's defence has also return to the first XI.
And would you believe it, Everton has taken the lead with the club's top scorer - our defender Lescott. The players had not given boro the time to settle and with the first corner of the game, Arteta curled the ball beautiful into the path of Yakubu who headed the ball towards goal. The opposing defenders cleared the ball weakly and it made it to the head of Lescott. 1-0.
Boro is not lying down. They have made a couple of forays into the Everton goal-mouth. One of their shots even hit the cross bar. Boro continued to pressure Everton and the host seemed to be soaking it in albeit nervously.
The Toffees are not doing themselves any favour by not scoring the second goal.
The second half was no different. Everton somehow did not looked as confident. But against the run of play, Everton scored once again. Pienaar worked doggedly for the team. It was from his retrieval in Boro's half that sparked the attack. A nice pass from Faddie, led to Pienaar flicking the ball to Arteta. The midfielder danced his way into the opposing penalty area and seemed to scare the wits out of Boro's defence. Arteta then dispatched a mice grounder into the penalty area which saw Pienaar sliding in. 2-0.
Two goals up but the performances of some players seemed wanting. Yakubu for one seemed like a lazy blob lumbering around the opposition's penalty area and waiting for the balls to be fed to his feet. The midfield of Neville and Jag had seen many mis-placed passes. They looked totally off-colour.
Moyes brought on Anichebe for Yakubu and the youngster definitely looked more hungry than the lazy blob. Faddie was also taken out for the team to play a 4-5-1 formation. Not very pretty, but clever to congest the midfield area.
The fianl change was to rest Arteta who has been instrumental in Everton's win, with Cars. Also, Howard has to be thanked for Everton's first clean sheet as well. Arteta gets my vote for Man-of-the-match.
Score: Everton 2-0 Aston Villa
Scorer: Lescott, Pienaar
Assist: Arteta (2)
Subs: Anichebe, Yobo, Cars
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