The league table would have indicated bottom-of-the-league Everton had their work cut out against an unbeaten Bournemouth side, but the balance of play in the opening stages suggested otherwise.
It was the Toffees in the ascendancy and doing the early running, with Idrissa Gueye wasting a glorious opportunity when he linked up with Dwight McNeil, but he could only fire an effort over the bar.
There was a growing sense of expectation at Goodison Park, although chances kept coming and going for Everton, with new recruit Iliman Ndiaye merely testing Kepa Arrizabalaga when he should’ve done better.
Sean Dyche would certainly have hoped missed chances wouldn’t come back to bite his side, and he’ll have known all too well that the mood within Goodison remained on a knife edge, with the first goal always likely to be key to the support they received.
Fortunately for Dyche, the Blues fans were firmly on side within minutes of the restart.
Bournemouth could only half-clear Jack Harrison’s teasing delivery, and the loose ball fell to the feet of Michael Keane, who arrowed home into the far corner on the half-volley.
With Goodison now at fever pitch, Bournemouth were visibly shaken and the game was soon slipping through their fingers.
Everton doubled their advantage before the hour mark when McNeil again played a key role, threading a delicate ball through for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who dinked over the onrushing Kepa.
Even after a triple change, Bournemouth couldn’t stem the Everton flow and were lucky not to be three goals down when James Tarkowski powered a header against the post from McNeil’s corner.
The Cherries snatched what they thought was a late consolation through Antoine Semenyo, who turned home Dango Ouattara’s cross to set up a nervy ending on Merseyside.
And the pressure proved to be too much for Everton, who capitulated in stoppage time when the smallest man on the pitch – Lewis Cook – popped up to head home his first-ever PL goal.
Bournemouth were firmly in the ascendancy in the stoppage time, and their incessant pressure paid dividends with almost the last kick of the game when Justin Kluivert’s teasing delivery was powered home by the head of Luis Sinisterra.
His goal prompted a mass exodus inside Goodison, who voiced their discontent with a chorus of boos at FT.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lewis Cook (Bournemouth)
