Gueye strike completes superb week by securing top-flight football for Everton

Idrissa Gueye’s goal in the 60th minute gave Everton their third straight home victory in six days, guaranteeing the Blues’ place in the Premier League for another year.

Gueye scored his second goal in three games after a pretty uneven first half that featured very little goalmouth action on either side. Everton had the best chance to break the deadlock when Dwight

McNeil struck the crossbar.

After thrashing Luton Town 5-1 the previous weekend, Brentford was coming off of their best

Premier League away victory. They had their opportunities after the break, but Jordan Pickford

again came through when it mattered, denying Ivan Toney, Keane Lewis-Potter, and Kevin Schade.

With Beto sidelined due to concussion protocols and Dominic Calvert-Lewin still dealing with a

stomach ailment and knee complaint, Sean Dyche gave Youssef Chermiti his first League start,

and Ashley Young took over for the injured Vitalii Mykolenko at left back.

On the hour mark, however, Aijer touched the ball behind for a corner, ending the tie. Brentford

cleared McNeil’s delivery at first, but it returned to Gueye, who knocked it out to Harrison. Two defenders impeded Branthwaite’s path to goal, but Aijer shovelled it off of the large defender’s feet,

and Gueye swept it invitingly into the top corner to make it 1-0.

After Thomas Frank made a series of substitutions from the bench, McNeil again struck a left-footed shot that flew across Flekken’s goal before Brentford attempted to force an equaliser.

Ben Godfrey had to clear the ball behind after Schade’s low centre, and Pickford was alert to save

with his feet when Toney flicked the ball on after a corner. But, in the interim, the Toffees

goalkeeper made his finest stop of the game, blocking Lewis Potter’s hard drive.

Even though, off the pitch, the takeover saga continues to be a major source of anxiety,

Dyche has led Everton to safety for the second straight season in the face of difficult circumstances

and relieved the immediate burden off Blues supporters’ shoulders.

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