Hello, and welcome to
Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between
Everton and
Bournemouth.
A couple of weeks ago, it appeared that Everton were competing for seventh place at best but Manchester United's draw with Hull City on Wednesday has let in the Toffees, who will now feel that they can heap the pressure on Jose Mourinho's side if they can record a win this afternoon. As for Bournemouth, they have been safe in mid-table for much of the campaign but just one victory in seven games has led to
Eddie Howe having to be wary of his team falling lower down the league standings.
Before we continue with the build-up to this match, let me point you in the direction of the match which is taking place at Stamford Bridge between leaders Chelsea and third-place Arsenal. The Blues currently hold a 2-0 advantage in West London, but there are still just under 15 minutes to go.
Click here to follow our live commentary.
Anyway, without further ado, let's bring you the team news from Goodison Park...
EVERTON XI: Robles, Coleman, Williams, Funes Mori, Baines, Barry, Schneiderlin, McCarthy, Lookman, Barkley, Lukaku
EVERTON SUBSTITUTES: Stekelenburg, Jagielka, Mirallas, Gueye, Valencia, Davies, Holgate
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Mings, Pugh, Surman, Gosling, Arter, Fraser, Wilshere, King
BOURNEMOUTH SUBSTITUTES: Allsopp, Cargill, B.Smith, Stanislas, Ibe, Mousset, Afobe
Before we continue with the team news, there has been a third goal for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with Cesc Fabregas scoring against his former club! Catch the closing stages
here.
First of all, let's take a look at Everton as
Ronald Koeman hands a first Premier League start to Ademola Lookman. The January signing has been impressing from the bench and he is finally given a chance to showcase his ability from the start. Idrissa Gueye has returned from the African Cup of Nations but he is forced to start the game from the bench.
As for Bournemouth, Howe is forced to replace Callum Wilson in his squad, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
Benik Afobe got the nod over Wilson in midweek but he, too, doesn't start with Dan Gosling, Harry Arter and Marc Pugh all coming into the team. Tyrone Mings is also handed a rare start in defence.
RESULT! The full-time whistle goes at Stamford Bridge and while Arsenal nicked a consolation goal through Olivier Giroud, they have fallen to a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea and now sit 12 points behind their London rivals. That is likely to be the end of Arsenal's aspirations for the title, while Chelsea march and look unstoppable under Antonio Conte. Read our on-the-whistle report by
clicking here.
HEAD TO HEAD! Today's match represents just the eighth time in which these two teams have faced each other in a competitive fixture, with Everton winning five of those matches in comparison to just the one victory for Bournemouth. That sole success did come in the most recent game, however...
Everton began the season in superb style but their form was starting to drop off by the time they made the long trip south to the Vitalty Stadium and they were dealt a further blow when a goal from
Junior Stanislas proved to be the difference. The Toffees have since recovered from that setback but it's that period in the season which has led to them competing for a Europa League place rather than a spot in the Champions League.
One of the main reasons that Everton parted company with Roberto Martinez was their poor home form, but
Ronald Koeman has managed to turn that around this season...
Bournemouth start today's game without both Wilson and Afobe so let's take a look at where the goals may come from this afternoon. Howe will hope for a better contribution from Josh King, who has scored just four times in the league this season, with Ryan Fraser has three to his name from 14 outings.
Jack Wilshere is likely to be used in a more advanced position but he is yet to net in 17 starts and two substitute appearances in the Premier League.
As for Everton, they could also do with another avenue for goals.
Romelu Lukaku has netted 12 times in 22 appearances but the next best effort is Seamus Coleman, who has chipped in with four goals from 20 outings. Lookman could earn a regular spot in this team if he can get on the scoresheet either this afternoon or throughout February.
PREDICTION! Given their respective form, we can only back Everton to emerge as comfortable winners this afternoon. Since the departure of Nathan Ake, Bournemouth have started to look vulnerable at the back and we think the Merseyside club will be in the mood to capitalise. Everton to win 3-0.
As always on a Saturday afternoon, we have more than just one live commentary on the go. If you would like to follow the games taking place at Hull City, Crystal Palace or Barcelona,
click here.
The two teams have made their way out at Goodison Park. We will be underway shortly.
The game has started at Merseyside. Can Everton build on their recent form or will Bournemouth get back to winning ways?
GOAL! Everton 1-0 Bournemouth (Lukaku)
Well that certainly didn't take long. Within a minute of kickoff, Everton take the lead through Lukaku, who cut inside close to the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a powerful shot which beat Boruc. The goal has been timed at 31 seconds!
Not a lot has happened since the goal. Not even Everton could have foreseen scoring that early but I'm sure they will take it! Bournemouth looked shell-shocked but they have started to calm down now and are competitive in this game.
CHANCE! Lookman looks eager to impress having been giving the opportunity to start and he almost finds the back of the net during the early stages. However, his well-struck shot goes wide of Boruc's post and Bournemouth survive.
BOOKING! Mings is the first man to go into the referee's book for a foul. The official allowed play to go on before coming back to hand out a caution to the Bournemouth defender.
Everton are having most of the player but Wilshere is starting to have an impact in the attacking third and his excellent pass managed to find King. However, his teammate was in a wide position and his cross was eventually blocked.
Understandably, the Bournemouth defence look fearful of Lukaku every time he is found in the final third and on this occasion, it takes a fine intervention from Mings to see off the danger. If Mings stays fit, he could have a big part to play for the Cherries during the final stages of the season.
GOAL! Everton 2-0 Bournemouth (McCarthy)
It's going to be a long way back for Bournemouth from here. This time, it's Lukaku who does most of the work to set up the chance and McCarthy, at the second attempt, finds a way past Boruc.
The positive thing for
Eddie Howe is that he is well loaded with offensive-minded players on the bench but I think he will be wary about using them, especially just yet. You feel that they can't go into the break any worse than two goals down or else this could get ugly.
GOAL! Everton 3-0 Bournemouth (Lukaku)
Yeah, so about that...
Everton all but guarantee the three points with their third goal of the match. A mistake from Francis at the back sees him give the ball straight to Lukaku, and the Belgian forward does the rest by sliding the ball into the net.
CHANCE! It really should be four and Lukaku should have his hat-trick. The forward latches onto a through-ball and in this position, the ball usually ends up in one place. However, Boruc is able to make the save to keep it down to three.
As you can imagine, Bournemouth look downbeat and deflated after conceding a third goal and from here, you would expect Everton to add to their tally. They are going to be moving to within two points of Manchester United today and they will want to keep improving their goal difference.
To their credit, the visitors keep threatening ever now and then but they are yet to force a save out of Robles. On this occasion, Mings found King inside the penalty area but Everton managed to get a foot on the ball.
Before we reach the half time, I will tell you that it's been a goal-rush in the Premier League this afternoon. Every game has featured goals aside from the match between Hull City and Liverpool. Get checking out our other live commentaries at the break!
CHANCE! Coleman is enjoying a fine campaign as far as goals are concerned and he comes close to a fifth of the season, only to see Boruc pull the save. By the way, forget what I said about Hull and Liverpool being goalless. Hull have just scored!
There will be two minutes of added-on time.
SHOT! Almost a lifeline for Bournemouth! Wilshere tries his luck from 30 yards but his effort is deflected just wide of the post.
HALF TIME: Everton 3-0 Bournemouth
The half-time whistle goes at Everton and they have been fantastic in the first half. Two goals from Lukaku and one from McCarthy has put them on the brink of moving closer to sixth-place Manchester United.
We are back underway in the second half. Bournemouth have made two changes, with Brad Smith and Jordan Ibe coming on for Gosling and Francis.
The visitors look like they have had quite the talking to from Eddie Howe. They come close to a goal when Wilshere and King combine to set up Arter, but his shot is off target.
BOOKING! Schneiderlin is booked for a foul on the halfway line. Everton still recognise that they are in a game here.
CHANCE! The game would have been over if this had gone in. Barkley tried to get in on the act from distance but his deflected effort - which wrong-footed Boruc - went just off target.
Not much has happened over the past few minutes. In a way, that probably suits both teams. Bournemouth don't want to be on the end of a five or six-goal mauling here.
GOAL! Everton 3-1 Bournemouth (King)
Maybe this game isn't over after all. Bournemouth claw a goal back through King, who managed to control a pass from Wilshere before poking the ball past Robles.
I had envisaged a comfortable last half hour for the home side. I thought they may be able to hand some more first-team minutes to the likes of Davies and Holgate. However, Koeman has been forced into a re-think here.
SUBSTITUTION! Well that prediction went horribly wrong. On comes Davies, who takes the place of McCarthy. Interesting decision from Koeman, who leaves Gueye on the bench.
Bournemouth needed to build on that goal but the game has returned to the pattern before King got on the scoresheet. It's all about possession for Everton at the moment. Maybe Bournemouth need to make their final alteration to shake things up.
GOAL! Everton 3-2 Bournemouth (King)
Wow. What are Everton doing?! They were in total command of this game and now they are fighting to remain ahead. King was able to convert from close range after good work from Fraser and Surman and it is very much game on at Goodison Park.
CHANCE! Whatever Eddie Howe said at half time, it is working. Pugh now comes within a whisker of an equaliser as he sees his curling effort drift just wide of the far post.
SHOT! Bournemouth are laying siege to the Everton goal! This time, it's Arter who is denied by Robles. If there is to be another goal in this game, it has to go to Bournemouth, surely.
SUBSTITUTION! Final change for Everton, who bring on Holgate in place of Barry. The Toffees earlier went close through Mirallas.
GOAL! Everton 4-2 Bournemouth (Lukaku)
It's definitely game over now. Coleman delivers a cross into the box and Lukaku is there to add the decisive touch. That's his hat-trick, he's now top goalscorer in the Premier League and Everton are about to register three points.
GOAL! Everton 5-2 Bournemouth (Lukaku)
Unbelievable - Lukaku has scored his fourth! I have a feeling that he will be getting the Man of the Match award too. A neat backheel from Barkley finds the Belgian and he does the rest. What an afternoon.
GOAL! Everton 5-3 Bournemouth (Arter)
This is incredible. Arter nets a third goal for Bournemouth after advancing onto a touch from Afobe before finding the net. It's merely a consolation goal, however. There will be four minutes of added-on time.
GOAL! Everton 6-3 Bournemouth (Barkley)
As Bournemouth throw men forward, Everton break through Barkley and he is able to round Boruc and fire into an empty net. What a game.
FULL TIME: Everton 6-3 Bournemouth
The full-time whistle goes at Goodison Park and everyone can finally breathe again. In what turned out to be one of most entertaining games of the season, Everton ran out 6-3 winners, largely thanks to four goals from Lukaku. Bournemouth were made to pay for their slow start and Howe must improve things at the back if they are to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this game. Thank you for joining us this afternoon and we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye for now.