A bizarre second-half saw Everton, reduced to nine men, draw 1-1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
It seemed like it would be smooth sailing for the Toffees when Michael Keane put them ahead with a clinical finish in the 17th minute after a difficult run of games at home lately. However, manager David Moyes completely fumbled the second half.
Instead of making changes to get the insurance goal or reassure his side as Wolves continued to grow into the game, Moyes dithered too long. Rob Edwards’ side made the pressure count with Mateus Mane keeping his composure and getting the equaliser in front of the away support.
What followed next was utterly ridiculous. Keane was absurdly sent off for having Tolu Arokodare’s hair in his grasp while going for an aerial duel. Rookie referee Thomas Kirk deemed the incident violent conduct after consultation with VAR and reviewing the pitchside monitor and the Everton centre-half now faces a three-game ban.
To make matters worse, Jack Grealish talked himself into the book and then just three minutes later, he too got his marching orders for sarcastically applauding the referee after winning the foul.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Blues hung on to secure a point in a game they would look back and think should’ve been won comfortably.
Here are the player ratings from Everton’s 1-1 draw with Wolves:
Jordan Pickford: 7.5
There was little Pickford could’ve done for the Mane shot that was slotted into the bottom corner. However, Pickford made a jaw-dropping save off Huego Bueno at full stretch, managing to send his long shot tipping over the bar.
Jake O’Brien: 6
O’Brien could’ve done better for the Wolves goal as the gap between him and Tarkowski was exploited by Mane. He was also conservative in possession.
James Tarkowski: 5
Tarkowski got away with a big mistake towards the end of the first half. He was partially at fault for the Wolves equaliser and failed to anticipate Mane’s movement and close the passing channel. The Everton captain could’ve probably done better to calm his teammates down following Keane’s sending off.
Michael Keane: 6
Keane was having a good game before the harsh sending off. The centre-half displayed his lethal instincts inside the box once again and reacted quickest to Iroegbunam’s shot, finding the back of the net with some aplomb. Keane also struck the post from Garner’s cross with a glancing header.
However, he was sent off for having a grab of Arokodare’s hair during an aerial duel, which VAR outrageously deemed violent conduct.
Vitalii Mykolenko: 6
Mykolenko had a decent chance to double Everton’s lead after being found in the box by Grealish but completely scuffed his shot before having a second stab at it and winning a corner. Had a solid defensive performance otherwise.
James Garner: 7
Everton’s opening goal came from Garner’s delivery. He could’ve also bagged an assist after Keane struck the post from his brilliant ball into the box. He often dropped deep to build play for his side and kept things ticking in the middle.
Tim Iroegbunam: 8
Tim Iroegbunam was easily Everton’s best player tonight. The Wolves midfield and defence found his forward runs difficult to deal with, winning the foul that led to the hosts’ opener. It was his scuffed shot that was diverted goalwards by Keane. Iroegbunam also showed authority while tackling and recovering possession, except for an instance when he had to take a booking after fouling Mane to avoid a counter.
Harrison Armstrong: 7 (replaced by Nathan Patterson at 87’)
It was an impressive performance from the teenager on his first start following his loan recall from Preston. Armstrong showed touches of class with a few outside-the-boot passes but some of his teammates weren’t on the same wavelength. He should take a lot of confidence from this match.
Dwight McNeil: 5 (replaced by Merlin Rohl at 90’)
Very little to write about McNeil’s performance, who was quiet on the right flank. Should’ve been taken off earlier to inject more energy into the game or shake things up because McNeil created little danger from his flank.
Thierno Barry: 5 (replaced by Beto at 87’)
Awfully quiet night for the Frenchman who had very little going for him. The fact that he had just one touch of the ball inside the opposition penalty box is a damning statistic. His night can probably be summed up by that wild shot/cross he attempted from an acute angle with no real conviction.
Jack Grealish: 4
Grealish had a pretty neat game before imploding shortly after the Keane incident. Talked his way into the referee’s book and the sarcastic applause afterwards was petulant and needless. Hard to defend a player of his experience, especially when the Blues are already short on players at such a pivotal juncture of the season.