A SEAMUS COLEMAN goal ranging somewhere on a scale between bizarre and brilliant handed Everton a precious 1-0 win at home to Leeds United in the Premier League this afternoon.
New manager Sean Dyche knew he would need some good fortune after the Premier League’s lowest scorers failed to make a January signing despite the injury-prone striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin struggling for fitness all season.
But even he could not have envisaged winning his second successive home match in the manner they did. Coleman broke forward to pounce upon a ball near the endline and, with nobody else in the box, Coleman smashed home a cross first time behind goalkeeper Ilan Meslier and into the net, sparking debate as to whether Coleman meant the goal or whether it was a cross that went brilliantly wrong.
Coleman is Everton’s lucky charm as they have never lost in all 28 matches in which he has scored and if they can keep eking out home wins like this – which lifted them a point clear of the bottom three – then survival is a realistic possibility.
The same cannot be said for Leeds, whose 10th match without a win dropped them to 19th after fellow strugglers Southampton and Bournemouth both won.
Gavin Bazunu kept only his second clean sheet of the season as bottom-of-the-table Southampton heaped more pressure on Graham Potter by shocking Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
A converted free-kick from James Ward-Prowse on the stroke of half-time put the Saints’ captain one goal behind David Beckham in the competition’s all-time standings, and sent Graham Potter’s team to a fourth consecutive winless match in the league.
With five of the club’s eight January signings in the staring XI, Potter saw his team labour to find any invention against a Saints side set up by interim boss Ruben Selles to frustrate the hosts’ expensively assembled attacking cavalry. Victory in their first match since the sacking of Nathan Jones was everything they deserved.
Chelsea have scored just once at home in 2022, and the lack of a recognised striker was made painfully apparent yet again.
Marcus Tavernier marked his return from injury with a winner off his thigh as Bournemouth snatched a vital 1-0 victory in their relegation battle with Wolves.
The midfielder, who was making his first start since November, flicked in Dominic Solanke’s cross in the 49th minute at Molineux to end the Cherries’ long winless run.
It was the south-coast club’s first league triumph since the World Cup break and their first since confirming Gary O’Neil as full-time manager in November.
Ireland’s Nathan Collins again started on the bench for Wolves with Craig Dawson preferred to start.
Elsewhere, substitute Manor Solomon came back to haunt former boss Roberto De Zerbi as Fulham snatched a dramatic 1-0 Premier League win over fellow high-fliers Brighton.
Israel international Solomon, who played under De Zerbi at Shakhtar Donetsk, struck two minutes from time at the Amex Stadium after Albion had dominated.
Solly March and Facundo Buonanotte had goals disallowed for the Seagulls, who failed to score in the top flight for the first time since October, despite registering 21 attempts.
Evan Ferguson started for Brighton, and lashed an early shot over the crossbar and later saw an attempt smothered by goalkeeper Bernd Leno when he broke clear.
Finally, Vitaly Janelt snatched a dramatic Brentford injury-time equaliser against Crystal Palace to stretch their unbeaten run to 11 matches.
Palace were on the brink of a first win in 2023 after substitute Eberechi Eze headed them in front.
Eze’s goal was his fourth of the season and only shot-shy Palace’s 21st from their 23 Premier League matches.
The visitors also successfully shackled Bees sharp-shooter Ivan Toney, with Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen rock solid at the back.
But in the sixth minute of stoppage time another sub, Janelt, struck to secure a 1-1 draw for the high-flying hosts.
Premier League results – 3pm kick offs
- Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace
- Brighton 0-1 Fulham
- Chelsea 0-1 Southampton
- Everton 1-0 Leeds
- Nottingham Forest 1-1 Manchester City
- Wolves 0-1 Bournemouth
With reporting by PA
