Everton 2 – 0 Nottingham Forest
by James Nalton
at Goodison Park

THERE was a sense of relief in the celebrations at Goodison Park as Everton ran out 2-0 winners against fellow relegation worriers and points deduction sufferers Nottingham Forest.

Two goals hit from outside the area, one from Idrissa Gana Gueye and another from Dwight McNeil, mirror images of each other in each half, secured Everton’s second win and clean sheet combo in as many home games.

There are still elements of uncertainty around these points deductions and the messy application of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules. Everton’s ownership issues also remain, but winning home games like this is a temporary tonic and provides hope.

Sean Dyche’s side were wasteful to begin with. Passes failed to find their mark and the set pieces of Andre Gomes were either underhit or overhit.

A half-volley from Vitaliy Mykolenko, skewed high and wide, summed up the opening period for the home side.

Forest had a little more purpose and accuracy about their play, but not much more.

Mykolenko’s cross which led to the opener was fairly aimless, too, but it bounced awkwardly in front of Forest left-back Ola Aina whose header barely cleared the area.

It fell to Gana Gueye, a player whom Forest would not have perceived to be a goal threat, but the defensive midfielder’s shot, hit with hope rather than expectation, rolled into the bottom corner past an outstretched Matz Sels.

The Forest goalkeeper will have been disappointed to see it go past him and nestle in the net. The slow pace on the shot posed little threat, but its placement was perfect. Anywhere else and it would have been an easy save.

Only bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United have scored fewer goals than Everton this season.

This lack of productivity in attack has meant the performances of Jordan Pickford have been important to the collection of any points.

The England No 1 made an important save to keep his side ahead in this game, thwarting Chris Wood from close range.

The visitors had a reasonable shout for a penalty when Callum Hudson-Odoi got to the ball ahead of Ashley Young before the two tangled, but there was not enough in it to convince the referee or his video assistant.

Everton had only scored more than one goal once in the previous 15 league games — a 2-2 draw at home to Tottenham in February — so when the second arrived here, with the team in a winning position, Goodison Park erupted.

McNeil drove forward through midfield, played a one-two with Abdoulaye Doucoure, and found the bottom corner with a left-footed shot in off the post.

It was a left-footed version of the first goal from Gana Gueye. There wasn’t much power on the shot, but the accuracy did for Sels.

A nasty clash of heads in added time saw Everton striker Beto knocked unconscious in a challenge with Morgan Gibbs-White.

After lengthy treatment on the pitch, Beto was taken to hospital, raising his hand to the crowd as he was stretchered off.

It was a reassuring sight at the end of a morale-boosting win for Everton.