Romelu Lukaku has scored four times to help Everton to a 6-3 victory over Bournemouth in a remarkable game at Goodison Park.
Everton were cruising at 3-0 before being pegged back by the visitors, but during the closing stages, they netted a further three times to move to within two points of sixth-placed Manchester United.
Lukaku required just 31 seconds to begin the goal rush on Merseyside as he cut inside before unleashing a well-struck shot past Artur Boruc from 16 yards out.
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Ademola Lookman - making his first ever start in the Premier League - was the next player to try his luck but he dragged his effort wide of the post, but it did not take much longer for Everton to move further ahead.
Lukaku provided the assist on this occasion, setting up McCarthy to convert for his first goal of the season after initially seeing Steve Cook get in the way of his first attempt.
Just before the half-hour mark, it was three as a mistake from Simon Francis gifted Lukaku the chance to score from close range and it was a goal which appeared to end the game as a contest.
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Moments later, Boruc had to be alert to keep out a one-on-one chance for Lukaku while just before the break, Seamus Coleman was also denied by the Pole who was ensuring that his side were not embarrassed further.
Jack Wilshere fired wide of the post from distance in added-on time at the end of the first half, but his effort did little to raise the spirits of his side's supporters at the break.
Bournemouth improved at the start of the second half but it was Everton who came close to a fourth as Ross Barkley saw his deflected effort drift just wide of the post.
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It was a near miss which sparked the Cherries into life and on the hour mark, Wilshere lofted a ball through to King who managed to poke it into the net.
Bournemouth initially failed to build on that lifeline but 11 minutes later, Ryan Fraser and Andrew Surman combined to set up a chance for King which he was able to convert from close range.
Everton were shaken, and indebted to Joel Robles for being able to keep out two shots from Harry Arter which were heading for the back of the net and with 15 minutes left, they were confident of completing an astonishing comeback.
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However, they were soon left deflated as Lukaku scored his hat-trick as he converted Coleman's cross into the net, and it soon got worse for Bournemouth as they quickly conceded a fifth.
A neat backheel from Barkley set up Lukaku in the penalty area and the Belgian was able to finish smartly to achieve the rare milestone.
The scoring was not over, however, as Arter took advantage of a touch from Benik Afobe inside the penalty area before netting Bournemouth's third.
Everton were not finished, though, and as their opponents threw men forward, Barkley broke forward and converted into an empty net after rounding a helpless Boruc to complete the scoring in one of the top flight's most memorable matches.
Darren Plant
