When discussion turns to Europe, David Moyes’s message has shifted back and forth like the River Mersey beside Bramley-Moore Dock. Every unexpected and impressive away victory reignites belief that qualification for European competition could still be realistic, even though the manager insists the club remains in the early phase of a long rebuild after years of difficulty.
On more cautious days, however, evenings like this — and Everton’s worsening home record — serve as a reminder of the limits of this side and keep expectations in check for what they can achieve this season.
Under the floodlights at a rain-soaked Hill Dickinson Stadium, the Blues showed the necessary spirit, resolve and moments of quality to try to end a home winless run stretching back to early December.
Yet they also exposed the fragility and tendency to collapse that cost them dearly against Tottenham, Newcastle and Brentford in what have so far been the poorest displays at the new ground. Bournemouth — once again — highlighted shortcomings in Everton’s recruitment, with their own new arrivals under Andoni Iraola making the difference. Two of the Cherries’ recent signings found the net, while another created their equaliser.
For Everton, Thierno Barry had recovered from a difficult start to Premier League life by scoring four goals in six games over the past month. Still, he remains raw and awkward at times, as shown in the 29th minute of another frustrating home defeat when he horribly mishit a golden chance in front of the North Stand.
The French forward lasted just over an hour before being replaced by Beto in a double substitution that had been prepared as Bournemouth wiped out Everton’s half-time advantage and was completed before play restarted. The Portuguese striker, equally ineffective on his poorer days, offered little more. Moyes’s decision to use Michael Keane as an emergency striker late on, after Jake O’Brien’s dismissal, spoke volumes about Everton’s desperation.
Whether O’Brien should again have been deployed out of position at right-back depends largely on trust in Moyes’s pragmatic instincts and confidence in Nathan Patterson. His selection there was perhaps the only surprise when the teams were announced at 6:15pm. Tyrique George’s inclusion for his full debut was welcomed, as was Jarrad Branthwaite’s return after being rested at Fulham to manage his recovery from a long injury lay-off.
Everton’s opening was promising. They pressed high, disrupted Bournemouth’s rhythm and tried to impose tempo. They even had the ball in the net inside 10 minutes, but Iliman Ndiaye was judged offside after dummying Idrissa Gueye’s bouncing shot in front of goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović.
As in the reverse fixture earlier in December — another impressive away win for Everton — Bournemouth soon proved awkward opponents. The match settled into a fiercely contested battle, with neither side willing to give ground.
Everton perhaps relied too often on long balls, but their intensity gave them the edge before the break and helped them take the lead shortly before half-time. In truth, they should have been further ahead by then.
After Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was fouled by Amine Adli, James Garner’s awkward free-kick was spilled by Petrović into Barry’s path, but the striker failed to sort his feet out and squandered the chance.
Soon after, Dewsbury-Hall again created danger with a low cross that Ndiaye struck first time, only for Petrović to divert the ball onto the post.
Although Evanilson had tested Pickford early, Bournemouth were largely contained until the closing stages of the half. Adli headed Rayan’s cross into a defender, and after George lost possession, Alex Tóth set up Evanilson whose deflected effort was comfortably saved.
Everton eventually capitalised when a short free-kick led to Branthwaite being clumsily brought down by Rayan in the box. Ndiaye converted the resulting penalty with ease to make it 1-0.
Ten minutes into the second half, there were no warning signs of what was to come. Petrović nearly gifted another goal with a dreadful pass, and Dewsbury-Hall’s follow-up effort was bravely headed clear by James Hill.
Moments later, Ndiaye combined neatly with Barry and slid a perfect pass into the striker’s path, but Álex Jiménez blocked the close-range finish.
Then everything unravelled. Truffert’s cross found Rayan at the far post after Mykolenko misjudged the danger, and he headed home to equalise.
Just four minutes later, Everton’s defence collapsed again. Tarkowski was penalised for a foul on Enes Ünal, and from the resulting free-kick Hill headed the ball back across goal for Adli to nod in unmarked.
VAR controversy followed, with Ünal’s offside position ignored — a sharp contrast to the decision that disallowed O’Brien’s goal at Aston Villa last month.
Everton’s disastrous spell was completed in the 69th minute when O’Brien brought down Adli as the last defender. Referee Andy Madley had no choice but to show a straight red card.
To their credit, Moyes’s side continued to fight, but they could not find an equaliser. Chances were limited, and headers and long-range shots failed to trouble the goalkeeper.
And so the familiar post-match frustration returned — criticism of tactics, selection, substitutions, recruitment and even the stadium itself. Each defeat seems to deepen the psychological problem at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Despite empty seats in parts of the ground, the atmosphere was not lacking. Supporters made a real effort to create noise, especially after Everton went ahead.
Once the lead was lost, discontent was inevitable, even as fans tried to rally the team after they were reduced to 10 men.
Everton now face a break before another night fixture, this time against a revived Manchester United side unbeaten under caretaker manager Michael Carrick. It promises to be an even sterner test than Bournemouth, who arrived on a five-game unbeaten run.
Whether Everton can rise to the challenge — and whether Moyes has learned from this defeat — remains uncertain. But as has been said before, European ambitions will remain distant if home games continue to slip away.
