Everton 2-0 Nottingham Forest (Gueye 29′, McNeil 76′)
GOODISON PARK — The financial fair play derby left us with one very important question at Goodison Park: how bad would these teams have been if they had not broken the rules?
Less facetiously, goals from Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil wrapped up a win for Everton that should secure them a 71st consecutive season of top-flight football next year, regardless of the result of their current appeal against their two-point deduction.
Forest, too, may be bailed out of their predicament on Wednesday, when they hear the outcome of their own appeal against a four-point punishment for their own breaches of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
For Everton, having seen their initial 10-point penalty reduced to six, a nightmare season cannot end quickly enough although this win earned them a five-point cushion over the relegation zone.
“I know we could have 38 points but the reality is, we do not,” Everton manager Sean Dyche said. “This was an important win but we still have work to do. That’s just the situation.
“Overall, it’s certainly within our capabilities to make sure of safety but it would have been handy if people didn’t take points off us during the season!”
Dyche had even broken with protocol for this game – wearing a tracksuit instead of his customary dress suit and tie – in a bid to shake up Everton’s fortunes.
And it worked. But for Forest it was a familiar story and they would be left to vent against officialdom once more, this time in the form of referee Anthony Taylor and VAR rather than the Premier League, after seeing three strong penalty appeals rejected.
All three were for alleged infringements by Ashley Young and all three belonged firmly in the “seen them given” category as Forest, yet again, faced what they see as refereeing injustice.
It was hard not to feel sympathy with Forest as Young was involved in two first-half flashpoints, either side of Gueye’s 29th minute opener, first tripping Giovanni Reyna, then appearing to handle Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross.
In both cases, VAR viewed the claims, with Stockley Park writing them off for, respectively, minimal contact and Young’s arm being in a “natural position.”
Perhaps even more glaring, after 55 minutes, the veteran survived a third penalty claim after he bundled into Hudson-Odoi from behind as he chased a Danilo through ball.
When it came to the football, however, it was Everton who dealt better with the high stakes and just about deserved their first-half lead as Gueye struck at his home ground for just the second time, and the first since 2017.
Vitalii Mykolenko’s cross forced Ola Aina into a poor clearing header, which landed to Gueye 20 yards out. The midfielder took a touch and, with Forest slow to close him down, steered a low finish into the bottom corner.
As well as their penalty shouts, Forest also saw Jordan Pickford save superbly from a Chris Wood volley and Morgan Gibbs-White blaze a glorious chance wide after a James Tarkowski error.
But home nerves were eased considerably after 75 minutes when McNeil surged forward, played a one-two with Abdoulaye Doucoure and unleashed a 25-yard shot which flew low into the corner.
Player of the match: Abdoulaye Doucoure
- Playing in an advanced role but popped up all over the field with tireless performance.
The display left Nuno Espirito Santo to concede that the result was as much about Forest failures as poor refereeing.
“We should blame ourselves because we had clear chances and should have done better,” Nuno said.
“We don’t know exactly the situation, there is an atmosphere of uncertainty. Do we have 30 points, 26 points? Hopefully this week comes the decision but, if we are one point in front of Luton, that means it is in our hands.”
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