Pictures and analysis of Everton 2 West Brom 1

If West Brom fans hoped for some on-pitch ointment to heal off-field wounds, their team left them smarting at Goodison Park.

The Baggies' once-stunning season is in danger of sliding into major decline after two Leighton Baines goals left them well beaten on Merseyside last night.

While the Hawthorns hierarchy looked set to spend today preoccupied with the future of Peter Odemwingie, head coach Steve Clarke doubtless made a little time to ponder how he can re-inject some early-season sparkle into his team.

Because, after a seventh successive game without a win, Albion are a team who have lost their impetus.

That one of the Premier League's established top-six sides should muster enough quality and purpose to see off Clarke's side would not have surprised travelling fans.

Disrespectful

That Everton did so in the face of such little obvious resistance, however, will have angered frustrated supporters still licking their wounds from Odemwingie's disrespectful verbal blows.

Since a rush of autumn points pushed traditional relegation fears to the back of the Baggies' minds, Clarke's men have carried the air of men whose jobs are all-but done.

Until they shake off the malaise that has left them winless since Boxing Day and seen their league prospects suffer and cup dreams die, they will struggle to escape allegations that their sense of purpose has been diluted.

Last night's display will have done little to snuff out such perceptions as the Toffees strolled to an utterly routine success, albeit with the aid of a dubious penalty award that handed full-back Baines his second goal in first-half stoppage-time after his 29th-minute opener had set his side on course for victory.

Albion threatened briefly to rally in the second half and substitute Shane Long made an instant impact when he pounced on a John Heitinga howler to halve the arrears on 65 minutes.

But Everton proved less brittle than Villa in the Baggies' previous game and rarely looked like succumbing to a similar comeback.

There was an early moment of alarm for the Baggies when Steven Pienaar found some space wide on the left to cut back onto his right foot. His dangerous cross to the edge of the Albion six-yard box was bundled away from goal by Goran Popov, who was restored to the starting line-up in place of Liam Ridgewell.

But, after a nervy start, Albion had a couple of moments of joy against makeshift Everton right-back Phil Jagielka. First Romelu Lukaku burst away from the Toffees defender and squared for Graham Dorrans, whose shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Baines. And then Jerome Thomas got past Jagielka and to the byline before crossing for Lukaku, who sent his header well wide.

Ben Foster had a momentary scare when Billy Jones tackled Victor Anichebe and the ball ballooned up off the Everton forward and just past the post with the visiting keeper scrambling back frantically.

And the host went even closer moments later when Sylvain Distin nodded down to Marouane Fellaini, who turned and struck a powerful shot against Foster's left-hand upright. The Toffees cranked up the pressure and it paid off just before the half-hour when poor play from the visitors allowed Baines to open the scoring.

Albion backed off and allowed the full-back to collect a Leon Osman pass and advance to the edge of the box before rifling a shot over Foster and into the net. The strike was fierce but close enough to Foster that the Baggies keeper might have got a stronger hand to the ball.

And things got worse for the Baggies two minutes before half-time when young midfielder George Thorne went down holding his knee after twisting awkwardly in a challenge with Osman. Thorne left the field on a stretcher and was replaced by Claudio Yacob.

It summed up a disappointing Albion first half that got even worse in stoppage time when Yacob tangled with Anichebe and the Nigeria star went down with referee Michael Oliver pointing to the spot despite only minor contact. Baines stepped up and drilled a low spot-kick past Foster to leave the Baggies' 700 travelling fans disenchanted at the break.

Albion showed some intent early on but there was little real encouragement until the introduction of Long on 62 minutes brought almost instant rewards.

Three minutes after stepping off the bench, the Irishman pounced on a Heitinga mistake to nod home after the Dutchman had simply flicked a tame Lukaku cross-shot onto Long's forehead. And soon afterwards it was so nearly 2-2 as Dorrans bent a powerful 25-yard free-kick onto the crossbar with Toffees keeper Tim Howard struggling.

But Albion's resurgence was relatively short-lived as the hosts regained their composure, with Foster needing to be alert to push a Pienaar free-kick over the bar. It should have been 3-1 with eight minutes remaining as Osman blasted over an open goal.

It signalled the end of Everton's alarms and left Clarke with much to ponder as the final whistle confirmed another fruitless day.

By Steve Madeley