Young’s Milestone and Early Lead
The Toffees took control early in the game, with Ashley Young scoring his 50th Premier League goal. The 39-year-old veteran curled a precise free-kick into the bottom corner from just outside the box after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was fouled, marking a historic achievement as the oldest player to reach the 50-goal milestone in Premier League history. Young surpassed the previous record held by Mark Bright, who achieved the feat at 36 years and 225 days in 1999.
Everton believed they had doubled their advantage when James Tarkowski nodded in a cross from Dwight McNeil, but the goal was ruled out after Mangala was adjudged to be offside in the buildup. Despite the disappointment, Dyche’s side didn’t have to wait long to extend their lead.
Kamara’s Deflected Shot and Wolves’ Woes
The Toffees made it 2-0 in the 38th minute when Boubacar Kamara pounced on a loose ball just outside the box, and his shot took a fortunate deflection, wrong-footing Wolves goalkeeper José Sá and finding its way into the net. Kamara’s strike capped off a first half in which Everton had been firmly in control.
Dawson’s Double Misfortune
Wolves’ misery continued after the break, with central defender Craig Dawson scoring two own goals in quick succession. The first came in the 50th minute, when he inadvertently nodded a McNeil corner into his own net, making it 3-0. Just 10 minutes later, Dawson’s night went from bad to worse, as he attempted to clear another McNeil cross, only to fire the ball into his own bottom corner to seal the 4-0 scoreline.
Dawson became the fifth player in Premier League history to score two own goals in a single match, and the first since Wout Faes did so for Leicester City against Liverpool in December 2022.
Lack of Threat from Wolves
Despite Everton’s dominance, Wolves struggled to create meaningful chances, finishing the match with just 0.79 expected goals (xG), compared to Everton’s 1.02. The visitors failed to test Everton keeper Jordan Pickford with any significant efforts, further highlighting their poor form in front of goal.
Wolves' Struggles Continue
The defeat marked a new low for Wolves, with their 36 goals conceded after 14 matches the most at this stage of a Premier League season since 1964-65. That campaign ended with relegation for the Midlands club. Furthermore, their nine defeats at this stage are their most since the 2010-11 season, when they also struggled in the top flight.
Looking Ahead
Everton will now turn their focus to the upcoming Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Goodison Park, hoping to build on this dominant win and further climb away from the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Wolves face a tough trip to West Ham, where they will need to regroup and find some form if they are to avoid a relegation battle.
With the Toffees firmly in the ascendency and Wolves deep in trouble, both teams now face crucial matches in the coming weeks as they look to secure their respective Premier League futures.
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