Everton 1-2 Wolves: Ait-Nouri wraps up all three points with injury time winner

Wolves picked up their first away win of the season with a crucial goal in the dying embers of the game against Everton at Goodison Park.

Everton 1-2 Wolves: Ait-Nouri wraps up all three points with injury time winner
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Rayan Ait-Nouri of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park on December 26, 2022 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

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By Adam Williamson

The Julen Lopetegui affect is in full swing at Wolves with their first Premier League away win of the season, after sealing a vital victory at Goodison Park.

Everton's Yerry Mina got the home side off to a perfect start inside the first quarter of an hour after he made the most of Dwight McNeil's corner ball. However, Wolves responded brilliantly late on to ensure they secured all three points in a close encounter.

They moved up to 18th in the Premier League ahead of a busy winter schedule. 

Everton did set themselves up for victory, having more shots on goal, possession and passes in the final third, however, they could not muster a decisive second goal to salvage a point. 

Frank Lampard stated "The fans have a right to be disappointed" after Everton's last competitive game, which saw them lose 4-1 at Bournemouth, and the census remained the same after a disappointing defeat for the Merseyside club. 

  • Story of the match

Frank Lampard made just the two changes from his previous Premier League encounter, where he was defeated 3-0 away to Bournemouth, with Yerry Mina coming in for Conor Coady and Anthony Gordon replacing Demarai Gray

For Wolves, new manager Lopetegui made four changes with young midfielder Joseph Hodge replacing Boubacar Traore.

Diego Costa, Daniel Podence and Hwang Hee-Chan started as a front three, instead of Goncalo Guedes and Adama Traore, meaning Toti was also demoted to the bench. 

After just seven minutes, Everton took the lead through Columbian international Mina.

McNeil played a well weighted corner ball into the path of Mina, who bullied Hugo Bueno and managed to get his head on the flying ball. 

Following the goal, the visitors slowly managed to grow into the game after a fast paced start.

However, disappointingly, they did not manage to test the opposition's goalkeeper, making their increased possession essentially useless early on. 

The game became even livelier after 21 minutes, when the away side managed to draw level.

Joao Moutinho found himself on the receiving end from a set piece and with no shot available, he perfectly scooped the ball in behind the Everton defence into the feet of Podence, who nailed it past Jordon Pickford. 

Wolves' Podence had never scored against Everton before kick off, but that streak ultimately came to a close as he scored his third Premier League goal of the season. 

The home side then responded quickly with two key efforts, both being kept out.

Firstly, Vitaliy Mykolenko's curling long ball was met by Gordon but his subsequent touch was too heavy and took the chance away, before Jose Sa was forced down to his left hand side to keep out Gordon's low driven shot.

The referee then drew the first half to a close, with neither side creating anymore clear cut chances. 

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In truth, the second half started just as the first half ended.

Both sides tried to get on the ball as much as possible, however, the visitors came out more intent on attacking. 

Just before the hour mark, Pickford side-stepped across his goal line quickly to punch out Podence's attempt from inside the area.

Both teams responded with changes. Gray replaced McNeil for the hosts, whilst the visitors took off Bueno, Hodge and Hwang for Matheus Nunes, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Adama Traore. 

Both Pickford and Sa faced a quiet second half and within the next 25 minutes later, Lopetegui decided to swap Podence for a fresh Guedes, and then Moutinho for Toti.

Lampard also saw this period of time to make some more substitutions as Mina, Neil Maupay and Idrissa Gueye were replaced by Ben Godfrey, Thomas Cannon and Abdoulaye Doucoure. 

With five minutes left on the clock, Amadou Onana's header flew towards goal and Sa's subsequent punch dropped to Gordon, but his strike was then dragged wide towards Godfrey, who almost scored, but his strike was blocked off the line. 

In the final few seconds, the game took a third and final twist.

The visitors managed to muster up one last chance which they duly took, as Ait-Nouri's left footed shot from the centre of the box hit the bottom left corner of the net, following a fast counter attack. 

Full time saw Wolves take all three points at the death, in what could be a vital win for their campaign.

  • Player of the match

The games standout player on the day was definitely Wolves player Joao Moutinho.

The midfielder made Wolves' equaliser with a beautiful assist, using the outside of his boot to tee up Podence.

He helped to inspire a win for Wolves which saw them move up the Premier League table, as well as securing a first league win for new boss Lopetegui.

The Portuguese  international had time to recover whilst his teammates competed in the World Cup, and yesterday’s performance showed he had rested well, producing moments of quality throughout the tie.

All of the The Wanderers' attacks came through Moutinho, showing off his impressive passing range and vision.