Premier League
EvertonEverton1StokeStoke City0

Everton 1-0 Stoke City

By Michael EmonsBBC Sport
Leighton Baines
Leighton Baines' penalty was pushed on to the post, but the ball rebounded into the net off Stoke goalkeeper Shay Given

Ronald Koeman maintained his unbeaten start as Everton manager as his team defeated a Stoke side that remain without a league win this season.

Everton had efforts from Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Williams cleared off the line before they got a penalty when Williams was tripped by Phil Bardsley.

Shay Given pushed Leighton Baines' spot-kick on to a post but the ball then rebounded off Given's head and in.

Stoke's Marko Arnautovic hit the crossbar, but Everton held on to win.

Who would have impressed Sam Allardyce?

England manager Sam Allardyce was at Goodison Park and is set to name his first squad since replacing Roy Hodgson for the World Cup qualifier in Slovakia on 4 September.

Allardyce would have been hugely impressed with Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, who produced a man-of-the-match performance.

Roy Keane and Sam Allardyce
Republic of Ireland assistant boss Roy Keane and England manager Sam Allardyce were at Goodison Park

Barkley, who was in Hodgson's Euro 2016 squad but did not feature in any matches, helped drive Everton forward in a game they dominated.

The 22-year-old midfielder was booked inside the opening 10 minutes, but that did not stop him producing an energetic box-to-box performance that saw him denied three times by Given.

Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross, who won one England cap in 2012, did not do much wrong, nor did Everton defenders Baines and Phil Jagielka.

Mason Holgate, 19, was only making his third Premier League appearance and the England Under-20 international looks a bright prospect for Everton.

He was brave in defence and also attacked when possible, including one link-up with Romelu Lukaku where the Belgian was denied by an excellent Shawcross block.

Stoke's problems continue

Everton
Everton attacked strongly down the right-hand side with defender Mason Holgate often overlapping to support the forwards, Romelu Lukaku running deep and pulling the defenders wide and Kevin Mirallas drifting over to the right wing

Stoke have finished in the top 10 in the past three seasons but have now only scored twice in three league games and are bottom of the table.

They can feel hard done by with the penalty decision, which saw Williams fall over after clashing with Bardsley as the pair rushed towards the near post as a corner was being taken from the right.

Nevertheless, it was still a deserved victory for the hosts, who move up to second, with only a fine performance from Given denying them further goals.

However, Stoke could have gained a point when, only minutes after falling behind, Arnautovic's shot deflected off Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg's legs on to the bar.

Stoke opted to pick Peter Crouch after the former England striker scored a hat-trick in their 4-0 win over Stevenage in the second round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday. The forward failed to create any chances, but did produce an overhead kick to clear Williams' header off the goalline.

MOTD analysis on Lukaku

Ruud Gullit: "He's working hard but looks off-sync. He gets in the right positions and I think it's just a matter of time."

Alan Shearer: "You have to stay strong and have the belief that something will go for you. You have to try to not lose confidence and it will change for him, it is just a matter of time."

Man of the match - Ross Barkley (Everton)

Ross Barkley
Ross Barkley had four shots at goal and also created another two chances with key passes

What they said

Everton's possession was difference - Koeman

Everton manager Ronald Koeman: "If you don't score the second and kill the game then it is always difficult in the last few minutes.

"Today we were not really clinical in the box. We had some good opportunities and need to be more aggressive, but the performance was good, it is a good start to the season and we can build on that.

"Two wins and one draw is very positive, but we can do much better and we need to improve in several aspects."

On the penalty that Everton were awarded, he added: "It is so difficult to analyse that situation. There are enough reasons for Mark Hughes to be angry. If everyone whistles for these situations you would accept it, but one referee does and another one doesn't."

Penalty was very harsh - Hughes

Stoke manager Mark Hughes: "We are disappointed with the award of the penalty. I feared at the start of the season that some teams would not get a fair crack at the whip and that is happening to us. It is a very harsh decision in my view and that is two dubious penalties against us.

"I don't know what the referee has seen in terms of a clash. Ashley Williams is slightly ahead of Phil (Bardsley), ran across his path, there is a clash of legs, he goes down and we are penalised. All we are asking for is consistency.

"We are going to have to consider zonal marking as it is too damaging for us."

The stats you need to know

  • Shay Given recorded his second own goal in the Premier League, both against Everton (first in October 2007).
  • The Toffees are now unbeaten in five Premier League games at Goodison Park (won three, drew two), having won one of the previous nine.
  • Romelu Lukaku failed to score or assist a goal for the 11th Premier League appearance running.
  • Everton have won back-to-back Premier League matches for the first time since February - on both occasions the second game was against Stoke.
  • Mark Hughes' side have secured just two wins in their past 13 Premier League fixtures (W2 D4 L7), picking up only 10 points from a possible 39.
  • Stoke City have now gone 12 Premier League games without a clean sheet.

What's next?

The international break means it will be two weeks before these sides are next in action. Stoke will be aiming for their first league win of the season when they host Tottenham on Saturday, 10 September, before Everton travel to Sunderland on Monday, 12 September.

Line-ups

Everton

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 22Stekelenburg
  • 30Holgate
  • 6Jagielka
  • 5Williams
  • 3Baines
  • 17Gueye
  • 18BarryBooked at 88mins
  • 14BolasieSubstituted forDaviesat 88'minutes
  • 8BarkleyBooked at 9minsSubstituted forMoriat 84'minutes
  • 11MirallasSubstituted forKonéat 70'minutes
  • 10Lukaku

Substitutes

  • 1Robles
  • 7Deulofeu
  • 9Koné
  • 12Lennon
  • 20Oviedo
  • 25Mori
  • 26Davies

Stoke

Formation 4-3-3

  • 24Given
  • 2Bardsley
  • 17Shawcross
  • 20Cameron
  • 3PietersBooked at 56mins
  • 4Allen
  • 21ImbulaSubstituted forBojanat 78'minutes
  • 6Whelan
  • 18DioufSubstituted forSobhiat 78'minutes
  • 25CrouchSubstituted forWaltersat 65'minutes
  • 10Arnautovic

Substitutes

  • 5Muniesa Martínez
  • 16Adam
  • 19Walters
  • 27Bojan
  • 29Haugaard
  • 32Sobhi
  • 45Ngoy
Referee:
Michael Oliver
Attendance:
39,581

Match Stats

Home TeamEvertonAway TeamStoke
Possession
Home55%
Away45%
Shots
Home21
Away8
Shots on Target
Home9
Away1
Corners
Home9
Away2
Fouls
Home14
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Everton 1, Stoke City 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Everton 1, Stoke City 0.

  3. Post update

    Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Phil Bardsley (Stoke City).

  5. Post update

    Attempt saved. Leighton Baines (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

  6. Post update

    Mason Holgate (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Joe Allen (Stoke City).

  8. Post update

    Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Jonathan Walters (Stoke City).

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Arouna Koné (Everton) left footed shot from the right side of the box is too high. Assisted by Idrissa Gueye.

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, Everton. Tom Davies replaces Yannick Bolasie.

  12. Booking

    Gareth Barry (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Gareth Barry (Everton).

  14. Post update

    Bojan (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Attempt missed. Yannick Bolasie (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Leighton Baines.

  16. Post update

    Hand ball by Yannick Bolasie (Everton).

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Everton. Ramiro Funes Mori replaces Ross Barkley.

  18. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Joe Allen (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Glenn Whelan with a headed pass.

  19. Post update

    Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Mason Holgate.

  20. Post update

    Attempt missed. Yannick Bolasie (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Gareth Barry following a corner.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Chelsea33007259
2Man Utd33006159
3Everton32104227
4Man City22006246
5Hull32014226
6Tottenham31203215
7Arsenal31116514
8Middlesbrough21103214
9Leicester31113304
10Liverpool311156-14
11West Brom21012203
12West Ham21012203
13Burnley310224-23
14Swansea310224-23
15Southampton302124-22
16Sunderland301235-21
17Crystal Palace301213-21
18Watford301236-31
19Bournemouth301225-31
20Stoke301226-41
View full Premier League table

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