Bournemouth vs Everton Player Ratings: Grealish’s strike makes the difference for the Blues

Everton picked up an important win against Bournemouth on the road, with Jack Grealish’s strike being the difference between the two sides.

Grealish lined up a shot from the edge of the box that took a big deflection off Bafode Diakite before beating Djordje Petrovic at his far corner 12 minutes before the end. It was his second goal for the club after he previously scored the winner against Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton became the first team to defeat Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League this season. A 1-0 victory here puts the Blues into the top half of the table momentarily before tomorrow’s round of league games.

David Moyes will be delighted with his team’s effort following the disappointing 4-1 loss to Newcastle United at home in the previous round. He had to start Jake O’Brien at centre-back to replace Michael Keane, who was unable to play through an injury. James Garner took up O’Brien’s spot at right-back instead.

Here are the player ratings from Everton’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth:

Jordan Pickford: 7

Bouncing back from his howler against Newcastle United, Jordan Pickford seemed more like his usual self in Dorset. He provided a commanding presence inside the box and made a good save off Antoine Semenyo.

James Garner: 8

Garner has hardly put a foot wrong this season and he showed his excellent standards at right-back once again. He was a constant threat going forward and whipping in crosses from the flank. Garner was also unlucky to hit the woodwork and he was just as immense in defence, winning tackles and retrieving possession.

Jake O’Brien: 7

Thrust into the centre-back role after Keane couldn’t make it to the starting XI, O’Brien delivered a composed performance. He was aerially dominant and had a 100% success rate in duels tonight.

James Tarkowski: 7.5

With Keane missing, the onus was on Tarkowski to lead the backline. He was alert and ready to snuff out chances and put in a no-nonsense shift. The Everton vice-captain made seven clearances and won four duels against Bournemouth.

Vitalii Mykolenko: 6

Mykolenko was the least involved player in the game for his side. He looked out of sorts on a couple of occasions and entered the referee’s book for a cynical foul.

Tim Iroegbunam: 7

It was a tricky start to the game for Iroegbunam after he saw a yellow card for a late challenge on Semenyo. It was his fifth booking of the season and will miss the clash against Nottingham Forest, which further compounds Everton’s midfield misery. 

However, Iroegbunam redeemed himself with a strong display as the anchor in midfield. He made the most tackles and won the most duels in the contest. He also tracked back well and showed a lot of commitment.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: 7

Dewsbury-Hall played in a deeper role as an 8 with Alcaraz taking up the summer signing’s usual role as a number 10. He was extremely involved in the game and always tried to make things happen. His passing and movement was clever but some of his actions lacked the final product.

Charly Alcaraz: 7 (replaced by Dwight McNeil at 80’)

Alcaraz has struggled for game time this season but he looked lively in the number 10 role. While some of his ambitious passes didn’t quite come off, he was a creative spark and did well to set up Grealish’s winner before coming off.

Iliman Ndiaye: 6.5

It was a frustrating night for the Senegalese magician who had a quiet performance for his standards. While he was a willing and hard-working runner for his side, he didn’t have a major impact in the final third and also lost possession more often than usual.

Thierno Barry: 6 (replaced by Beto at 80’)

Thierno Barry did well to impose himself physically and looked sharp in aerial duels and contests. However, his efficiency in front of goal is largely off the mark as many of the big chances and half-chances aren’t just working out for him.

Jack Grealish: 8

Grealish was a constant thorn in the Bournemouth backline, operating from the left. Andoni Iraola’s side tried to keep him at bay with physicality and making constant fouls but Grealish had the last laugh with a strike from distance that took a big deflection before nestling into the net. 

Another fantastic performance from the loan signing and the moment of him kissing the Everton badge while celebrating is bound to make fans smile.

Substitutions

Beto: N/A

Dwight McNeil: N/A

 

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