Dec 162014
 

Only the most optimistic of Everton FC fan will have agreed with Roberto Martinez before (Free £25 bet offer) Kick-off.

The Blues boss said he could not wait to be back at Goodison Park but after a season distinctly lacking in home comforts most Evertonians were less enthusiastic about the game with Queens Park Rangers.

Yet Martinez’s faith was not to be misplaced as Everton leapfrogged Liverpool into 10th place with their third Premier League win at the Old Lady this season.

A thunderbolt from Ross Barkley ripped through the tension in brilliant fashion before a deflected Kevin Mirallas free-kick doubled their lead and Steven Naismith made sure of victory early in the second-half.

Bobby Zamora’s late tap-in dashed hopes of a fourth clean sheet in the league this term but given Everton’s recent travails at home it mattered little in the wider scheme of things.

Goodison was a fortress last season and Martinez must hope this win is start of the rebuilding process although the sight of Mirallas being stretchered off in injury-time does little to help his cause.

But the performance of Barkley was a shining positive from a game that Everton simply had to win.

Martinez had played the 21-year-old as one of two holding midfielders against Crystal Palace last season and seen his attacking game plan back-fire as their Champions League were dented.

But encouraged by his cameo against Manchester City, and with Gareth Barry suspended and James McCarthy injured, the manager made the decision to partner Barkley with the inexperienced Muhamed Besic.

It was a move that certainly represented a gamble but then Martinez has always been bold and he would ultimately be vindicated.

Kevin Mirallas celebrates following his second goal VIEW GALLERY

Prior to Barkley’s missile of a strike, Everton had made a nervous start.

The audible groans that echoed around the Old Lady as Everton struggled for fluency early on were a sign of the inconsistency that has blighted their start to the campaign.

Just two wins at home in the Premier League meant defeating QPR was essential.

Apart from Barkley’s exquisite sprayed pass to Naismith as the Blues hit QPR with a counter-attack early on, there had been precious little to lift the mood or cut through the tension.

For a team that prides itself on keeping hold of the ball, Everton were unable to string more than a couple of passes together.

Sure, QPR were organised and disciplined as they packed the midfield looking for their first point away from home this season but this wasn’t a conundrum new to Martinez’s men.

As they struggled to find a way through, the crowd grew restless but the Catalan tried to encourage his side.

Even with Steven Naismith back in the side after a hamstring injury, it had been a lethargic start.

But then, in rip-roaring style, Martinez’s gamble paid off.

After picking up the ball just inside his own half Barkley played a swift one-two with Romelu Lukaku that opened up space for the Academy graduate.

Barkley then charged at the QPR defence, moved the ball onto his left foot and unleashed a venomous drive that left Roberto Green with little chance.

It took a marginal nick on the way in but this was Barkley’s goal and it was quite a way to get off the mark for the season.

The challenge for Everton now was to build on the lead and not allow the momentum to slip as it had done in recent games with Spurs and Hull City.

Martinez had bemoaned his side’s lack of intent to press for a second goal in those game but was thrilled to see Everton double their lead – albeit with a healthy slice of luck.

Mirallas whipped a free-kick from the edge of the area towards goal and with Green committed, the ball took a hefty deflection off the head of Eduardo Vargas and nestled in the bottom corner.

The Blues now had their tails up and smelt blood as half-time approached.

Aiden McGeady went agonisingly close to scoring a third and as the players headed down the tunnel there was warm applause where there had been the sound of disapproval.

Evertonians were soon off their seats in the second-half as Naismith’s header from McGeady’s cross made it 3-0 after some comical defending from the visitors.

Perhaps fittingly, the Scot’s header also took a deflection of the way in. After their struggles, the Blues needed some early Christmas gifts.

Everton’s intensity dropped soon after Naismith’s sixth goal of the season and QPR had chances to pull one back but failed to test Tim Howard.

However, with 10 minutes left substitute Zamora jumped on the spoils of Jordan Mutch’s effort and tapped in to make it 3-1.

As frustrating as conceding was and the lack of zest about Everton in this period, the real sour note came in injury-time when Mirallas was stretchered off after clumsy challenge from Mutch.

The Belgian flyer looked to be in a lot of pain and Everton, who have endured rotten luck with injuries this season, now face an anxious wait to find out the severity of his ankle complaint.


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