Everton 1 Wolves 0 - Report
Wolves were once again caught out by a set piece as they threw away a positive first half display to lose 1-0 away at Everton.
The men in old gold and black were the better team for the first 45 minutes and had several opportunities on goal - but still lacked ruthlessness in the forward areas.
But only three minutes into the second half they reverted to old habits as they allowed Richarlison to sneak across goal, unmarked, and head home from a corner.
The hosts had chances to add a second strike, while Wolves were fairly passive and failed to find an equaliser as a result - condemning them to back-to-back defeats.
Nuno Espirito Santo made five changes to his side and moved back to the 5-2-3 formation.
The biggest surprise came as John Ruddy made his first Premier League start of the season, replacing Rui Patricio in goal, while Willy Boly, Max Kilman, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Ruben Neves also came into the team.
Two goalkeepers were named among the substitutes as Andreas Sondergaard joined Patricio, while only eight players were named on the bench. Nuno warned that after the under-23s played on Monday that none of the outfield youngsters would be involved, so Theo Corbeanu and Luke Cundle - who both travelled to Spurs last week - did not make the trip to Goodison Park.
Raul Jimenez was also not involved after having his head injury examined by a specialist on Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether he will make the squad for the final game of the season, at home to Manchester United, on Sunday.
Carlo Ancelotti made two changes to his side and matched Wolves’ 5-2-3 formation.
Yerry Mina made his return from injury, while Gylfi Sigurdsson also came into the side and joined the front three alongside Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Josh King made the bench after recovering from a knock.
Star attacking midfielder James Rodriguez did not make the squad.
As the two teams stepped out for kick-off the atmosphere was incredibly different to any of Wolves’ recent games, as 6,500 Evertonians made a racket.
As a result of the electric atmosphere, the game got off to a fairly bright start. The supporters were cheering every Everton involvement, while Adama Traore went on a trademark run down the centre of the pitch, from his own half, and almost created a chance from nothing.
Liverpool fan and Wolves captain Conor Coady, who was being booed with every touch, just got away with a slip while in possession of the ball as last man. Richarlison tried to steal it but the defender recovered.
The first effort on goal came from Richarlison who met a Lucas Digne cross, but his header was straight at Ruddy. Morgan Gibbs-White then tested Jordan Pickford with a lovely volley from the edge of the box, following a corner, which the goalkeeper was equal to.
Wolves enjoyed a long spell of pressure in the middle of the half and had several set pieces that they failed to convert, or test Pickford with. By this point the game had become fairly placid, however, despite the initial energy created by fans returning.
Fabio Silva almost sparked it into life with an instinctive turn and shot inside the bar, which deflected just over the Everton bar. The resulting corner came to nothing. Traore then had an effort tipped over the bar by Pickford after a second corner fell to him from 10 yards.
With half-time approaching, Boly came to Wolves’ rescue. It was same old for Nuno’s men who failed to deal with a corner and the ball fell to Richarlison who had his effort from five yards charged down by Boly.
In the end the two teams ended the first half goalless after a fairly comfortable 45 minutes. Wolves had large spells of pressure during the half but allowed Everton back into it in the closing minutes.
Only three minutes into the second half and the hosts took the lead. One of Wolves’ biggest weaknesses this season reared its head again as they failed to defend a set piece. Richarlison was able to ghost across the front post in front of Boly and head home a Sigurdsson corner to put Everton in front.
Everton were buoyed by that goal and almost notched an immediate second through Seamus Coleman, before Traore nearly dragged Wolves level with a delightful piece of skill and beaming run, which ended in a shot directed straight at Pickford.
Wolves became increasingly passive as the half progressed and struggled to get a foothold on the ball in the attacking areas. Calvert-Lewin almost added Everton’s second when he was released in behind Coady, but Ruddy was equal to his effort on goal. Sigurdsson also had two long-range curling efforts that both flashed just wide.
The visitors were almost handed a lifeline when VAR was checking a possible handball by Abdoulaye Doucoure in his own box, but the right decision was made when nothing was given.
Wolves pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages but were unable to find it as they finished their away games for the 2020/21 season with a loss.
Teams
Wolves: Ruddy, Semedo, Boly (Dendoncker, 80), Coady, Kilman, Ait-Nouri, Moutinho (Vitinha, 80), Neves, Gibbs-White (Jose, 67), Silva, Traore.
Subs not used: Patricio, Sondergaard, Hoever, Marcal, Saiss.
Everton: Pickford, Coleman (Davies, 82), Keane, Mina, Godfrey, Digne, Allan, Doucoure (Holgate, 90), Sigurdsson (Gomes, 85), Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.
Subs not used: Olsen, Nkounkou, Delph, Bernard, Iwobi, King.
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