Toffees score twice in the second-half as Goodison Park outfit get off to a flyer against the Terriers on Big Sam's debut
SAM ALLARDYCE’S Everton reign got off to the start many would have expected – a scrappy win against a committed but toothless Huddersfield.
Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin grabbed the goals for the Toffees, but it was a far from pretty performance.
After the Wayne Rooney show on Wednesday night against West Ham, the Goodison faithful would have been expecting more of the same today.
But the Terriers were more than a match for Big Sam’s side and the Yorkshiremen were the better team for large parts of the game.
In a forgettable first-half, David Wagner’s side controlled the game but lacked a cutting edge – this is now the seventh straight away game that they have failed to score.
Laurent Depoitre went close but was unable to poke home after a mix-up by Calvert-Lewin and Jordan Pickford from a corner.
INTERACTIVE STATS - CLICK on the categories to find out how the teams fared
And while they would have been hoping to carry the good work on into the second half, they went behind just after it started.
Aaron Lennon darted in from the right to feed Calvert-Lewin and his neat back-heel fell into the path of Sigurdsson who calmly slotted home for his second goal of the season.
Huddersfield remained a constant danger however, with Tom Ince using his pace to counter and Aaron Mooy dictating play in the middle.
Calvert-Lewin had a decent effort saved by Jonas Lossl but there were few chances of note for Everton in an uninspiring display.
And Everton doubled their lead after 72 minutes...
Rooney fed Calvert-Lewin with a beautiful through ball and the young striker saw his left-footed shot take a big deflection over Lossl’s head into the back of the net.
After the crisis talk of last week, it’s safe to say that the crisis is now well and truly over.
Everton are now tenth in the league – ten points above the drop zone and seven points behind sixth placed Tottenham.
INTERACTIVE LINE-UPS - CLICK on a player's number below to see their stats
EVERTON: Pickford, Kenny, Holgate, Williams, Martina, Gueye, Lennon (Lookman 71), Davies (Schneiderlin 66), Sigurdsson, Rooney (Keane 80), Calvert-Lewin.
Subs not used: Robles, Niasse, Vlasic, Baningime.
HUDDERSFIELD: Lossl, Smith, Jorgensen, Schindler, Malone (Mounie 71), Mooy, Williams, Kachunga, Ince, Quaner (Palmer 46), Depoitre.
Subs not used: Green, Hogg, Cranie, Lowe, Hadergjonaj.
Full ratings to follow shortly...
