A look at how the national media reacted to Everton's first ever Premier League win at Bournemouth
Jack Grealish captured the headlines after his second goal for Everton proved the difference on the south coast.
A keenly-fought contest looked set to finish goalless until the 30-year-old sparked wild scenes of celebration amongst a travelling support that had not seen a win at Bournemouth in the Premier League.
It was a victory that restored pride after the weekend humiliation against Newcastle United - and one that sent Everton back into the top half of the table. This is how it was covered in the national media.
Jason Burt directed his focus on Grealish and how the playmaker had found a way to respond to his manager’s plea for goals.
He wrote in the Telegraph: “David Moyes has declared that Jack Grealish must score more goals. And just when Everton needed it, he delivered. The loan move from Manchester City has been a resounding success for the 30-year-old winger but a return – so far – of just one goal in 14 appearances is simply not enough. Not for a player with his ability. Not for a player who still harbours hopes of forcing his way into England’s World Cup squad.
“Goals were an issue, also, for Grealish at City but his second-half strike here was enough to secure the win against Bournemouth. ‘Super, super Jack,’ rang out from the visiting fans after Grealish cut in from the left with his shot deflecting off Bafodé Diakité to finally break the deadlock. Would it have gone in otherwise? Maybe not. Not that Grealish or Everton cared.”
Rick Broadbent also highlighted the role of Grealish in his report for the Times. He too wrote of a closely contested game but suggested there was little surprise at who would turn out to be the difference - stating his belief Everton had been the better side.
He said: “Grealish… had been using his nous to find large pockets of space and Bournemouth were left to regret their carelessness. After 78 minutes, the game’s maverick received the ball 30 yards out on the left and simply stuttered forward and unleashed a right-footed curler. The shot took a decisive deflection off Bafodé Diakité, but it was no surprise that it would be Grealish who split the teams.
“Everton were well worth their win and the way they outfought Bournemouth in midfield — where Dewsbury-Hall and Iroegbunam also had high-energy games — and then blunted the home side’s early season potency will be a concern to the head coach Andoni Iraola.”
In the Guardian, John Brewin wrote of Everton benefiting from a slice of luck as Grealish’s goal deflected in off the shins of Diakite to separate two evenly-matched teams.
He did have significant praise for James Garner, however, crediting him for nullifying Bournemouth’s star player: “Everton’s thin squad was stretched but squeezed through a significant test. Idrissa Gueye was absent through suspension, and Michael Keane from defence. It meant James Garner played emergency right-back, and won his personal duel with Antoine Semenyo, a key battle in a victory achieved via Evertonian graft rather than the School of Science of which their fans sang.”
Neil Johnston, for BBC Sport, drew attention to the value of the Everton performance as a reaction to the disappointment at the weekend: “This was a highly satisfying performance for Everton boss Moyes. He had seen his side capitulate in front of their own fans last time out, but they responded with a gritty display that was capped off by a goal on the counter by Grealish.”
In the ECHO, Grealish’s impact was also celebrated but the praise was shared among several players - and manager Moyes - for producing such an impressive response to Saturday: “As the Everton supporters lingered inside the Vitality Stadium, they burst into a rendition of the song they have dedicated to David Moyes. It made its return in emphatic fashion on the south coast in January, when the return of the Blues boss brought an important win in the first away game of his second stint at the club. Eleven months later it echoed around another venue as the travelling fans celebrated another incredible victory at another venue that has haunted them for years. His hair may now be grey, not red, but he inspires passion on and off the pitch; immediately after leaving the supporters singing Moyes’ name, match winner Jack Grealish told TV cameras he ‘loved’ the Scot to pieces.
“There is a case to be made that both Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche’s Everton tenures effectively ended at Bournemouth. Here, Moyes’ reign received another shot of positivity - a valuable salve to the frustration that had followed the terrible defeat at home to Newcastle United.”