Maybe Everton should request to play under the lights every week. It certainly seems to push David Moyes’ team to new heights, as evidenced as they picked up the second half pace to beat Coventry, hot on the heels of consecutive night victories over Newcastle.
A pre-match lights show was arranged to raise the decibel levels inside the ground, but they need not have bothered. Such is the growing optimism at Everton, their fans were always going to create a febrile atmosphere for the return of Frank Lampard.
Popular as their former manager may be, there is no room for sentiment, certainly not from Moyes, on a night when he took charge of his 592nd Toffees game and drew level with Harry Catterick for managing the most games for the club.
He will set it outright after the international break against Brentford and Keith Andrews, who was 21 when Moyes first took up the reins.
His side started impressively, fashioning three shots in the opening 10 minutes, before losing all momentum.
It took going 1-0 down, to a soft Yann Gboho goal, for the hosts to come alive. Thierno Barry, so often the source of frustration last season, sealed the points.
Thierno Barry (right) now has 10 goals this season after being widely derided in his first season on Merseyside
Thierno Barry (right) now has 10 goals this season after being widely derided in his first season on Merseyside
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had been left out of the England squad in the morning, but refused to let it spoil his night
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had been left out of the England squad in the morning, but refused to let it spoil his night
TRENDING
That is 10 goals this season for a man who was widely derided in his first season on Merseyside. It took until December to net his first last term and Moyes’ pre-match jokes that Erling Haaland should watch his back in the Golden Boot race is starting to feel less absurd.
Both goals against Coventry came via back post-duels. The first he confidently headed past goalkeeper Carl Rushworth after some sloppy Coventry defending, before bundling in a second five minutes later.
Suddenly the fans were jubilant, having booed their side off at half-time.
It could have been a different story had penalty claims against James Tarkowski and Vitali Mykolenko been awarded either side of the break. But Moyes will feel his side deserved a bit of luck.
For all the issues surrounding the club, his sheer willpower continues to push them on. Yet Moyes believes the ceiling would be so much higher had the team been properly backed last summer. It is hard to disagree.
EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford 5; Rohl 5 (O’Brien 73min, 6), Tarkowski 5, Branthwaite 6 (Keane 89), Mykolenko 6; Armstrong 6 (Hackney 73, 6), Garner 6; Dibling 5 (Johnson 73, 5), DEWSBURY-HALL 8, George 5 (Alcaraz 90); Barry 8.
Scorers: Barry 56, 61 Dewsbury-Hall 81.
Booked: Branthwaite.
Manager: David Moyes 6.
COVENTRY CITY (4-2-3-1): Rushworth 4; van Ewijk 5, Mfuni 6, Pinnock 6, Dasilva 6; Yirenkyi 6, Torp 6 (Grimes 86); Sakamoto 5 (Tchaouna 86), Rudoni 5 (Hamer 86), Gboho 6 (Thomas-Asante 73, 5); Awoniyi 5 (Cherif 87).
Scorer: Gboho 52.
Booked: Yirenkyi.
Manager: Frank Lampard 5.
Referee: Stuart Attwell 6.
Attendance: 52,395.
Jack Grealish remains on a tailored training programme to regain match fitness following his off-field misdemeanor and Moyes implied he could be back after the international break. In his place, Tyler Dibling started his first Premier League match of the season but struggled. He was replaced after 73 minutes.
By that point, Coventry’s hopes of coming away with a share of the points were disappearing. They allow opponents back into games when they are on top. That was certainly the case here on the banks of Mersey.
Lampard’s side had three wins in five. They are more than competitive, but only seriously tested Jordan Pickford with a powerful Tatsuhiro Sakamoto strike and a Victor Torp free-kick.
They offered nothing after Gboho’s goal, when surrounded by Jarrad Branthwaite and
Martin Rohl, the winger still managed to pirouette and nudge the ball past a static Pickford.
When Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall powered in a third goal late on, the contest was over. Moyes celebrated as his team went above Liverpool into fifth.
He had been left out of the England squad in the morning, but refused to let it spoil his night.
'It was a disappointing morning I'm not going to lie but I'm pleased with the way I reacted,' said Dewsbury-Hall. 'I'll keep pushing and pushing and see what happens.'