Having beaten Middlesbrough 3-1 in the Premier League to continue their unbeaten start to the season, we take a look at the five things we learned from the game.
Everton’s Gareth Barry scores their first goal
Everton continued their good start to the season with a fourth straight league win as they beat Middlesbrough 3-1 at Goodison Park in the Premier League.
Aitor Karanka’s side took the lead in the 21st minute after a Maarten Stekelenburg own goal, but Everton hit back with goals from Gareth Barry, Seamus Coleman and Romelu Lukaku.
Barry, who was making his 600th appearance in the devision, was one of many Everton players who had standout performances in what was an impressive display by the Ronald Koeman’s side.
We take a look at the five things we learned from the game.
Everton lit up Barry’s 600th appearance
Against Middlesbrough Barry was making his 600th appearance, and in doing so joined the elite group of players to do so that is Frank Lampard and Ryan Giggs.
But Everton put on an impressive display to light up his landmark, putting in a performance that was truly fitting of the occasion, and it was Barry who pulled the home side level after Stekelenburg’s own goal.
Throughout the side, Everton looked sharper and more able to launch attacks than Karanka’s side, something that was evident with Everton having 11 shots on goal, with 6 on target, compared to Middlesbrough’s 7 shots, with 0 on target.
Potential for a top four finish for Everton is there for all to see
A number of Everton players could have been named man of the match, but few would argue that Ross Barkley deserved it after having put in an impressive performance.
But Barkley was not the only player who had people commenting that Koeman is getting the best out of his players.
The list of standout performances includes Lukaku, Yannick Bolasie, Coleman, Phil Jagielka, Barry, and Barkley, and with such a strong performance being put in by the group of players, there remains little doubt as to why the home side is being mentioned as a possibility for a top four finish.
Having recorded a fourth consecutive win, this is now Everton’s best start to a Premier League campaign, and the message is clear that this could be quite some season for the club from Merseyside, just as last season was for Leicester City.
Everton’s Ross Barkley in action with Middlesbrough’s Antonio Barragan
Middlesbrough lacked resolute defending
Karanka’s Middlesbrough built their successful promotion bid from the Championship on resolute defending, proved by three of their defenders being named in the Championship team of the season last year, but against Everton all that seemed forgotten and lost.
Having taken the lead, it was expected that Middlesbrough would have dug deep and defended with the vigour, but instead they allowed Everton to get back in to the game within three minutes of taking the lead, and by the time they headed in to the dressing room at half-time, they were 3-1 down.
If Karanka and his side are to avoid a relegation battle for the rest of the season, then defensively they will have to be stronger and show more steel and determination than they did at Goodison Park.
Everton are showing the ability to score goals quickly
Everton have now scored six goals in two games having beaten Middlesbrough 3-1, and having beaten Sunderland 3-0 last weekend.
But what has stood out in both games is how quickly they can score goals in succession.
Against Sunderland it took just 11 minutes for Lukaku to register his hat-trick, while at Goodison against Middlesbrough the home side had virtually put the tie to bed with three goals in 22 minutes.
In both games, Everton have showed just how much attacking strength they have, and the goals are coming thick and fast.
Everton’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates their third goal by Yannick Bolasie
Could Everton be the new Leicester City?
Much like Leicester last season, Everton’s start to the current campaign has been very impressive, with Koeman’s side making an unbeaten start to the season.
Everton look to have a new fight and determination in their play, and with Koeman looking like he is getting the best out of Lukaku, Bolasie, Kevin Mirallas and Barkley, there could be no limits ti what Everton could achieve, particularly after Leicester’s heroics last season.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman with Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka
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