Everton kept their bid for a top-four spot alive after a superb solo effort from Kevin Mirallas clinched a 1-0 win over Stoke City at Goodison Park.
Both sides had real difficulty in stringing passes together throughout the opening half hour on Saturday, so it was perhaps unsurprising that the first goal came through a moment of individual inspiration.
Everton had been defending a corner in their own box before Tim Howard's punch away reached Mirallas on the halfway line
The former Olympiakos man then skipped away from Steven N'Zonzi before turning last defender Geoff Cameron inside out and finishing his great work off with a cool finish past Asmir Begović.
"Against Stoke, because of how well they are organized, you are going to have to play really well to beat them or an individual player can make the difference," Toffees boss David Moyes told Everton's website.
"Today, when I saw Kevin pick it up in our own half, I thought 'go on Kevin' and then he got away from one (tackle). Then it was one versus one and I said 'come on, can you do it?' and thankfully he got it past the goalkeeper.
"He's got pace, ability and can play in two or three different positions. He was near enough the top goalscorer in Greece and so we know that he can score.
"He's a really good finisher and has given us a different type of forward. We need his goals because that's what we bought him for."
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| Everton player Kevin Mirallas scores the winning goal against Stoke City Photo: Getty Images |
Both sides had real difficulty in stringing passes together throughout the opening half hour on Saturday, so it was perhaps unsurprising that the first goal came through a moment of individual inspiration.
Everton had been defending a corner in their own box before Tim Howard's punch away reached Mirallas on the halfway line
The former Olympiakos man then skipped away from Steven N'Zonzi before turning last defender Geoff Cameron inside out and finishing his great work off with a cool finish past Asmir Begović.
"Against Stoke, because of how well they are organized, you are going to have to play really well to beat them or an individual player can make the difference," Toffees boss David Moyes told Everton's website.
"Today, when I saw Kevin pick it up in our own half, I thought 'go on Kevin' and then he got away from one (tackle). Then it was one versus one and I said 'come on, can you do it?' and thankfully he got it past the goalkeeper.
"He's got pace, ability and can play in two or three different positions. He was near enough the top goalscorer in Greece and so we know that he can score.
"He's a really good finisher and has given us a different type of forward. We need his goals because that's what we bought him for."
