Everton FC correspondent Joe Thomas writes about the surreal contrast between following the Blues at home and away
Beto celebrates his goal with the fans during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton at Amex Stadium. Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Beto celebrates his goal with the fans during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton at Amex Stadium. Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
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If there is one thing that has been made clear in the past week it is that Everton's players have some fight within them.
Before Monday, only once had the Blues avoided defeat having gone behind this season - the comeback 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium at the start of October. On Monday, against Leeds United, and again on Saturday, at Brighton and Hove Albion, Everton rescued useful points after going behind.
Hard work will not be enough to secure the spot in Europe that David Moyes covets and parts of the fanbase, understandably after years of wretched torment, want to be the goal for a season that feels like a turning point for the club.
But it is a valuable asset that was on display in the final minutes at the Amex. For all that Everton were poor in the first half the side emerged much better from the break and Pascal Gross’ opener came against the run of play. Like against Leeds, Moyes showed a willingness to use his bench and adapt his approach and was duly rewarded with those stunning last gasp scenes in front of a jubilant away end.
Character is not something this side lacks and we saw that again as they conjured an unlikely equaliser at a place most teams find tough to visit (though Everton are, in fact, unbeaten there since 2019).
The draw was particularly satisfying given the manner in which it came - and in who scored it. Few will begrudge Beto that moment given his work ethic has never been in doubt - something Moyes was keen to point out after the match.
The challenge for Beto, if he remains at the club beyond the end of the transfer window as seems likely despite interest , is to try and have fewer emotional moments. He shed tears when his goal drought ended at home to Fulham last season and his strike at Brighton clearly meant a lot to him - a sign of progress would be to score enough goals for each one not to feel remarkable and hopefully that can be the case. It was around 12 months ago, after all, that he started that run of form that did so much to lift Everton away from the relegation spaces.
The challenge for Everton as a team - and as a club - is to try and replicate, somehow, the belief and courage and confidence they seem to take with them on the road and produce it at Hill Dickinson. This has been an eye-opening month in some ways and one of the most challenging elements to explain has been the contrast between Everton at home and Everton away.
The results away from the Liverpool waterfront are what have powered the belief Everton are still in the battle for Europe and it is hard not to feel like they have a chance when you see the away end erupt as it did at the Amex, as it did at Villa Park, and as it did at the City Ground. At each of those stadiums Moyes has ended the game celebrating in front of the away end and listening to those supporters serenade him as he walks off the pitch.
Yet at home it feels as though the weight of expectation is casting a heavy shadow over the club and Moyes has seemed under pressure going into so many recent games - something that is understandable given the frustration of being unable to overcome Brentford, Wolves, Sunderland (in the FA Cup) and Leeds.
It is a hard anomaly to explain but one that is striking - I am very aware that, like those travelling Blues, I am living a very different experience of the club right now. Because I am there for the highs of the away successes, the struggles at home feel less painful. If you are a home supporter, however, there have been too few of those magical moments across recent months and exhaustion and frustration are understandable emotions.
The big hope has to be that the return of so many key players will help lift spirits and performances at home. We saw that in the second half against Leeds with the introduction of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jarrad Branthwaite, who both moved closer to match fitness with more minutes at Brighton. New additions on deadline day would also help.
That now has to be Moyes and his side’s target - rekindling the sense of belief at home games. If that cannot be done then it is hard to see how this season ends with supporters plotting European adventures - though qualification should not be the barometer against which this season is measured given complete avoidance of a relegation fight for the first time in five years represents genuine, welcome progress.