Conor Coady’s brilliant header earned Wolves a second win in the space of four days at Goodison Park. The skipper rose highest to expertly glance home Ruben Neves’ cross and, thanks to a second successive clean sheet, that was enough for victory over Everton.
Bruno Lage’s men turned on the style in the second-half, in a game which took a while to get going, and once Coady headed home, there looked little doubt where the points would end up. Further chances weren’t taken, but it mattered not, particularly as the Toffees ended with ten men following Jonjoe Kenny’s dismissal.
The opening 45 minutes wasn’t much of a spectacle in truth, with stoppages aplenty, meaning neither side could find the required rhythm. Hee Chan Hwang’s early departure, having taken a whack from Kenny and tried to run it off, was the main talking point of the opening stages.
Jose Sa was the busier goalkeeper during the opening 45 minutes, having to be quick off his line to keep out Richarlison and Demarai Gray impressively. As for Wolves, both Daniel Podence and Joao Moutinho tried their luck from distance, but Jordan Pickford wasn’t truly tested.
The England goalkeeper then had a watching brief as Raul Jimenez’s overhead kick flew over the crossbar, following a good move down the right. That was Wolves’ best move of the half, with other similar positions not being followed with an attempt on goal.
Half-time | Everton 0-0 Wolves
If things took a while to get going in the first-half, the second made up for it, as Wolves began on the front foot and were rewarded. Neves was the creator, as he so often is, picking his moment to swing it a delightful cross for Coady, who expertly glanced into the corner. Goal number three for the season for the skipper.
Crosses into the box were causing Everton issues and when Moutinho swung in a free-kick, Jimenez caught his volley sweetly, but it flew wide of the near post. Podence, who replaced Hwang in the early change, also shot wide from distance as Wolves enjoyed an improved second period.
Richarlison was Everton’s main threat. His towering header came back off the outside of the post, although the flag was up, while the Brazilian went early with his next chance, trying to catch out Sa, but the goalkeeper wasn’t troubled, which remained the case in the closing stages, as Wolves claimed their win.
Full-time | Everton 0-1 Wolves
Everton | Pickford, Kenny, Coleman, Holgate, Godfrey, Mykolenko (Alli 59) Doucoure, van de Beek, Gordon, Gray (Townsend 74), Richarlison.
Unused subs | Begovic, Keane, Allan, Iwobi, Gomes, Rondon, El Ghazi.
Wolves | Sa, Jonny, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Marcal, Dendoncker (Trincao 82), Moutinho, Neves, Jimenez (Silva 88), Hwang (Podence 15).
Unused subs | Ruddy, Ait-Nouri, Boly, Toti, Cundle, Chiquinho.
