by Trouble is brewing for Sean Dyche as the Friedkin Group await approval for their proposed takeover of Everton. The Everton manager was left in no doubt about the growing discontent inside Goodison Park after Brentford held on for 53 minutes with 10 men to claim their first away Premier League point of the season. They did so with relatively few problems, which says a lot about Everton’s second half performance.
Brentford captain Christian Nørgaard was shown a straight red card for imprinting his studs into Jordan Pickford’s knee four minutes before the break. Everton started brightly against 11-man Brentford but became increasingly clueless as the contest progressed. It’s now five draws in eight league matches for Dyche’s side and no goals in three outings. A worrying December – which includes games against the top four, Ruben Amorim’s first home league game as Manchester United manager, a revitalized Wolves and Nottingham Forest – now awaits us.
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Brentford had 16 points before kick-off – each won at the Gtech Stadium. Their impressive home form stands in stark contrast to results on the road, where they faced a tough away schedule in fairness, and Thomas Frank’s side immediately fell behind at Goodison. Everton had enough pressure and opportunities to establish a comfortable interval lead. It was not the first time in Dyche’s reign that a lack of ruthlessness and quality in the final third prevented them from doing so. Mark Flekken in the Brentford goal proved another obstacle.
Flekken produced a superb reflex save to deny Dominic Calvert-Lewin giving Everton an early lead by lofting Idrissa Gueye’s low volley towards the bottom corner. Iliman Ndiaye had already gone close with an angled shot which was deflected and quickly sparked a counter-attack which ended with Flekken comfortably saving from Calvert-Lewin. Dwight McNeil placed three shots wide of the Brentford keeper’s left post before the break, the final effort missing by inches thanks to another deflection, and allowed Calvert-Lewin to head through on goal with a piercing ball behind the defense visitor. Flekken intervened again, sticking out a foot to push the attacker back at the near post.
Everton’s continued search for a killer touch has left Goodison with a familiar feeling of foreboding. The pessimism was almost justified when Mikkel Damsgaard’s beautiful ball delivered Yoane Wissa on goal. Pickford moved forward quickly to reduce the attacker’s options before making an important block. Brentford’s threat had previously focused on Mathias Jensen’s long throws and dangerous deliveries.
But the visitors’ performance improved when a VAR intervention left them at 10 with 49 regulation minutes remaining. At first glance, it seemed harsh red for Nørgaard. The Brentford captain and Bryan Mbeumo both attempted to play the ball when Ethan Pinnock’s header crossed the Everton penalty area towards the unmarked pair. Neither took a touch, although they could have scored, but Nørgaard’s high studs dug into Pickford’s right knee as the Everton keeper moved aside to save.
Pickford pointed out the marks on his knee as he lay on the ground in pain while referee Chris Kavanagh waited for the match to resume. VAR then sent it to the pitch screen. Nørgaard went high, made no attempt to avoid Pickford’s knee and received a straight red card for serious foul play. The incident was broadcast on the giant television screens inside Goodison, causing an uproar among Brentford supporters. Frank also joined the Brentford protests and received a yellow card for his growing problems.
Everton would mainly work against the ten men. Gueye had a diving shot tipped over by Flekken and Vitalii Mykolenko wasted a glorious chance on Ndiaye’s cutback, blazing from close range with his unfavorable right foot. However, their performance petered out with their ideas and Brentford almost made the hosts pay on the counter-attack. Keane Lewis-Potter burst into the area and forced a low save from Pickford. The loose ball ended up at Jensen’s feet but he couldn’t convert from 18 yards out.
Dyche again presented Beto as a late saving act and the substitute almost succeeded by connecting with a James Tarkowski header from six yards. Pinnock, however, made a vital block to earn Brentford their first away point of the season. The Everton manager was greeted with a chorus of boos at the final whistle.
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