Everton 1-1 Wolves: Recap & Reaction | Threadbare Blues unravel even further

Match Recap

What was that?

That will be the question on the mind of every Everton fan out there tonight after the Blues barely clung on to a 1-1 draw at home against bottom-side Wolves, but only after picking up two sendings-off after giving up the equalizer.

Michael Keane had pounced early in the game to divert home a Tim Iroegbunam shot which put them up 1-0. Minutes after that he flicked a header off the base of the post and the lead stayed at one at the break.

However with both sides displaying attacking intent, it was Wolves who leveled things slicing through the Blues’ middle with a fine finish from Matheus Mane.

Then the drama started. Keane looked to have (inadvertently?) tugged on the back of Arokodare’s braids in an aerial duel in the 83rd minute, which the Wolves player reported to referee Thomas Kirk. VAR recommended he go over to the pitch side monitor to review the action. The match official, taking charge of only his second Premier League game, decided to deem that violent conduct and sent him off.

David Moyes was apoplectic and got booked for stepping out of his technical area and into the playing area to yell at the ref. With the field continue to tilt in Wolves’ favour, Jack Grealish got booked for dissent three minutes later. Tired of getting hacked down, he then won a foul and jumped up clapping sarcastically at the referee. Kirk did not take that well and promptly flashed another yellow card and sent him off too.

With nine men and nine minutes added on, the Blues were going to have a battle on their hands but saw out the remainder of the time under great pressure but with no real chances conceded.

Instant Reaction

The spectacle that unfolded at the end of the game takes away from a very good debut start for Harrison Armstrong. Composed on the ball, he popped up everywhere showing tenacity and vision. Unless there’s a big immediate dropoff, he will not be going back out on loan for the remainder of this season.

Keane will be out for the next three games which are a home FA Cup Third Round clash against Sunderland on Saturday, a trip to Aston Villa and then home against Leeds United, the last of which should see Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye back.

This will force David Moyes to bring Jake O’Brien back into the middle next to James Tarkowski where he has been very good, but then either Nathan Patterson or James Garner will have to play there.

Grealish will only receive a one-match suspension for his red card, which will be enforced for the visit of the Black Cats this weekend. Expect Dwight McNeil and Tyler Dibling on the wings, and possibly Armstrong at the #10.

Everton’s senior players seemed to lose their calm and the team’s composure as a whole went down the tubes late on. The Toffees have a quite eclectic list of Premier League red cards, and the first one today certainly merits its spot in the top ten most bizarre. Keane giveth, and Keane taketh away after all.

Grealish’s seemed inevitable with how livid he was after his first booking. He is very valuable when he wins possession and subsequent fouls in pressure situations, but when he takes it too far like tonight, his petulance ends up hurting his team.