Everton 3-0 Bournemouth: James Garner, Jack Harrison and Abdoulaye Doucoure net at Goodison Park as the Cherries’ wait for a first win continues
Jack Harrison scored a memorable goal on his first Premier League start for Everton as they ended their losing streak at Goodison Park and left winless Bournemouth boss Andoi Iraola fighting for his future.
Harrison, on loan from Leeds, provided a deft touch to lob Neto from 25 yards shortly before half-time adding to James Garner’s early opener with Abdoulaye Doucoure later adding a third.
It was the first time Everton had collected points at home this season after four defeats and also the first time they’d managed to score more than once at Goodison since last October.
For Bournemouth, defeat meant they stay in the bottom three. Given they fired Scott Parker last season after only four matches, Iraola’s prospects don’t look great.
Everton suffered a setback with Idrissa Gueye pulling up in the warm-up but it mattered little as they took the lead after eight minutes.
The goal was entirely self-inflicted from Bournemouth’s point of view. Illia Zabarny slipped as he tried to dribble the away from his penalty area with James Garner was on hand to intercept.
The midfielder advanced a few paces and nonchalantly buried a low finish to Neto’s left for his first goal at Goodison Park.
The visitors didn’t learn their lesson with Marcus Senesi falling over trying the same thing. This time, Abdoulaye Doucoure’s pass to Dominic Calvert-Lewin didn’t fall quite right for the striker who was a thorn in Bournemouth’s side all afternoon.
The Cherries looked like a team still trying to adapt to their new Spanish manager. Their only decent opportunity of the first half came when Dominic Solanke’s shot into the side-netting.
The last time Everton scored three at Goodison was back on October 22 last year when they beat Crystal Palace 3-0 under Frank Lampard.
Sensing an opportunity to end that dismal run, Dwight McNeil went close with a low drive while Neto had to dive to stop Doucoure’s half-volley.
Iraola tried to stay positive, clapping in encouragement after Milos Kerkez had a dig after series of good passes, but Everton extended their lead with a touch of class after 37 minutes
Neto came outside his six-yard box to punch out a cross and when the ball fell to Harrison, he showed terrific composure from 25 yards.
After initially shaping up to have a blast, he showed great touch to lift his finish over Neto with enough finesse for it drop into the net via the underside of the bar.
It’s not often this season you could describe Everton as rampant but they looked it approaching half-time with Calvert-Lewin hitting the bar from Ashley Young’s cross and denied by Neto’s boot after a mazy dribble.
