Everton surged out of the relegation zone in spectacular fashion with a dominant 4-0 victory over Wolves at Goodison Park, a match defined by Wolves’ defensive struggles and Craig Dawson’s unfortunate brace of own goals.
The Toffees struck early through Ashley Young, whose expertly curled free-kick gave Everton the lead within the opening minutes. Although James Tarkowski’s header was disallowed after a VAR review, Everton’s set-piece prowess paid off again before halftime when Orel Mangala’s deflected shot doubled the lead, leaving Wolves struggling to respond.
The second half saw Wolves’ set-piece woes continue in dramatic fashion. Craig Dawson inadvertently turned Dwight McNeil’s corner into his own net before repeating the misstep from another McNeil delivery, this time from a free-kick. It was a textbook example of Sean Dyche’s emphasis on set-piece mastery, with Everton’s physicality and precision proving decisive.
Wolves had their chances to change the game, with Jordan Pickford making a couple of key saves and Jorgen Strand Larsen missing a golden opportunity while the match was still competitive. However, Gary O’Neil’s side simply couldn’t cope with Everton’s aerial dominance and tactical discipline. The details, as Dyche might say, made all the difference.
The result leaves Wolves mired in the relegation zone, three points adrift of safety, while Everton move five points clear of their struggling opponents. The emphatic win also ends a five-game winless streak for the Toffees and provides a morale boost ahead of the highly anticipated Merseyside derby on Saturday.
