OLD HABITS die hard for Everton – they conceded first again on Saturday but also, crucially, maintained their enduring ability to overcome Sunderland.
The Blues haven’t lost to the men from the North East for 16 games, and with this hard-fought but ultimately deserved victory they might have weathered a pivotal point in their season.
Trailing to Adam Johnson’s volley just before the end of the first half and with only 13 minutes left, David Moyes’ side were facing the damaging prospect of losing momentum just as those closing in on fourth place in the Premier League behind them appear to be finding it.
Relatively early in the campaign it may remain, but falling off the pace at any point can be fatal when you’re chasing a top spot. West Brom are hot on their heels and Andre Villas-Boas’ Spurs are finding their feet, but cometh the hour, cometh the man – and when Everton needed him Marouane Fellaini stood tall even by his usual lofty standards.
The Belgian wants Champions League football next season and is making it clear that while he hopes it is with Everton, he will move on if he has to. But if the enormously effective midfielder keeps playing like this he could yet grace that competition in a royal blue shirt next term.
First he single-handedly dragged Everton back into the game, just like at Craven Cottage last weekend, then he provided the sumptuous and perhaps somewhat fortuitous flick which enabled Nikica Jelavic to fire in the winner on 79 minutes.
It was only a matter of time before the ruthless predator of Goodison rediscovered his edge, and typically when he did it was with a decisive first-time finish. Jelavic won’t look back now.
This time there was no late sting in the tail, and Everton clung on to stay in fourth place.
It had been a patchy performance; in parts brilliant, in parts blunt – but grinding out the victory was all-important.
That they had to do it the hard way yet again after conceding first for the seventh consecutive game when Adam Johnson scored for the visitors just before the break remains a problem.
In the past David Moyes has wondered whether his side’s evolving attacking flair has made them in turns more open at the back, but frequently the goals they are conceding are not from counter attacks but just poor decision making and uncharacteristically slack grasp of defensive basics.
Still there is plenty of character and spirit among their ranks. Losing the exciting attacking threat of Kevin Mirallas during an entertaining first half, when the Belgian limped off with a hamstring injury, was a serious blow – just as it was in the Merseyside derby – but the Blues kept going.
Mirallas had played his part in a lively start, deploying a slick shimmy to bamboozle the visiting defence and play in Jelavic who seemed reluctant to shoot with his left foot and delayed too long before being hustled off the ball.
The striker felt he’d been fouled but referee Lee Mason was unimpressed and it would have been a generous spot kick.
Despite that flurry Everton almost fell to their customary early setback when Steven Fletcher played a simple ball to Stephane Sessegnon who muscled too easily past Seamus Coleman and looked a certainty to score but for the reflexes of a sprawling Tim Howard.
Then Sessegnon returned the favour, setting his striker partner free down the left and despite pressure from Coleman his shot across goal was only inches from creeping in at the far post.
The Blues responded with further attacking prowess from Mirallas, who was linking up smartly with his compatriot Fellaini, as the trusty axis of Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar also began to click. It led to a sustained siege of the Sunderland goal, as Everton passed the ball with purpose and pace outside the area, albeit lacking a cutting edge to garnish their artistry.
To their credit Everton continued to push relentlessly, and Leon Osman began to show just why he is worth his England call-up by pulling the strings with a smart array of passing. Then Seamus Coleman, who had struggled initially, went on a mazy run and was upended right on the edge of the area, and Baines’ free-kick was met by Jelavic whose shot was narrowly over.
Despite such an entertaining half it seemed likely that they would go into the break scoreless, but then Sunderland struck. Everton failed to clear Seb Larsson’s corner properly, and Craig Gardner lofted the ball back into the area for Adam Johnson to volley sweetly home as Osman was caught ball-watching. It was the £10m winger’s first goal for the Wearsiders since joining in the summer.
Johnson was a thorn in Everton’s side again after the break when he cleared John Heitinga’s header from a corner off the line, as the hosts tried to quickly regain parity.
With Everton’s attacking threat declining, Moyes made a bold change, withdrawing skipper Neville and bringing on Apostolos Vellios to partner Jelavic in attack.
It was a crucial point with the game threatening to drift away from the Blues, but they struck in timely fashion. Osman fed Fellaini who turned and rifled a fierce strike low into the bottom corner.
Just two minutes later it was Fellaini’s cute flick through John O’Shea’s legs which set Jelavic free and the Croatian made no mistake.
It was crucial that Everton avoided another costly late slip-up, and five minutes of added time only added to the Goodison nerves.
But they survived, and in the context of the season it may yet prove a crucial victory.
Martin O’Neill must dread seeing Everton’s name on the fixture list, so thank heavens then for some stubborn habits. If Everton can just tighten up again their grip on fourth place – or higher – could become habitual too.
