There have not been too many afternoons recently at Goodison Park quite like this. Everton had made their worst start to a home campaign for 65 years, losing their opening four games of the season, and managed just four victories in this calendar year.
However, against a forlorn Bournemouth, Everton enjoyed a comfortable afternoon — something to which the home crowd have become unaccustomed in recent times.
The goals flowed as James Garner scored his first Premier League goal for the club, Jack Harrison side-footed in from distance on his first home start since joining on loan from Leeds United and Abdoulaye Doucoure netted for the third time this season.
This was the first time in 17 home outings that Everton scored more than once in a game, that was a 3-0 triumph over Crystal Palace almost 12 months ago, and a first clean sheet of the season will be equally welcomed by Sean Dyche.
Everton had already failed to see off amiable visitors this term, but Bournemouth were there for the taking from early on. They never recovered from the early concession and were often careless in their play.
Andoni Iraola remains without his first win since taking over in the summer and has now seen his side concede 18 goals in their first eight games of the campaign.
Story of the game
Bournemouth were relegated at this stadium in 2020 and Everton preserved their Premier League status with a final-day victory over the south coast club last term, both began this latest meeting again at the wrong end of the table separated by a single point.
Everton’s home woes had been pronounced and Luton’s collection of their first league win here last weekend must have given Iraola confidence that his side could follow suit. Yet their only attempts on target — forcing a goalline clearance and Jordan Pickford save — came when it was too late.
Dyche was forced into a late change as Idrissa Gueye picked up an injury in the pre-match warm-up and Amadou Onana, originally dropped for the inclusion of Harrison in midfield, was drafted back into the lineup.
Everton’s four home defeats had been underpinned by wastefulness in front of goal but they took the first opportunity that fell their way after 10 minutes here.
Bournemouth, who made two changes to the side that were swept aside by Arsenal, made a nervy start and when Illia Zabarnyi slipped while bringing the ball out from defence, Everton pounced on the mishap. Garner took the ball and ran to the edge of the penalty area before placing a shot around Lewis Cook and beyond Neto, the Bournemouth goalkeeper.
An early breakthrough gave the home side confidence, their play given a certain thrust. Dwight McNeil dragged a shot wide, Harrison saw an effort blocked and Doucoure’s follow-up was kept out by Neto.
The visitors did settle and Everton’s backline hardly convinced when pressure began to be applied, but the home team were in a much more comfortable position when they doubled their lead eight minutes before the break.
Bournemouth failed to deal with an Everton corner, with Neto twice punching the ball away, and the second clearance was met first time by Harrison whose side-footed shot from 20 yards out floated towards goal and went in off the underside of the crossbar.
Their advantage could have been even greater before the half was out with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s header being denied by the crossbar and Onana skewing a shot narrowly wide. The applause afforded Everton at half time was deserved.
Iraola will have rued both the carelessness and hesitancy that his team displayed in a poor first-half showing, and both were evident again when Zabarnyi gave the ball away close to his own area within two minutes of the restart. Doucoure should have punished the error more ruthlessly.
Calvert-Lewin attempted an audacious effort after being picked out by Pickford but fired over from a mid-air position. However, Everton had their three-goal advantage on the hour.
Doucoure was certainly forceful when dispossessing Adam Smith but referee David Coote played on and the Everton midfielder fed McNeil. The winger’s cross found Harrison but Milos Kerkic blocked his header on the goalline, yet Doucoure was there to tap in the rebound.
Onana saw a header and shot denied and Garner also had an effort saved by Neto — but they came during a half-hour of anxious-free football, something which has become a rarity for the home crowd.
Player of the game: Jack Harrison
On his first start at Goodison Park after joining on loan from Leeds with an injury, the midfielder certainly impressed the home crowd.
The standout moment was his well-struck goal from distance that went in off the crossbar and doubled Everton's advantage.
