Everton vs. QPR: Score, Grades, Reaction from Premier League Game

Queens Park Rangers’ abject away form in the Premier League continued on Monday as Everton cruised to a 3-1 win at Goodison Park.

Harry Redknapp’s side are still to pick up so much as a point on their travels in the league this season, with this game their eighth successive away loss since the start of the campaign.

Ross Barkley opened the scoring shortly after the half-hour mark from long range for the home side before Kevin Mirallas’ deflected free-kick gave Roberto Martinez’s men a healthy two-goal advantage heading into the break.

Steven Naismith then nodded home from close range shortly after half-time to wrap up the points, although QPR substitute Bobby Zamora’s tap-in briefly threatened to make the closing stages more dramatic.

Everton move into the top 10 with the victory—10th, to be exact, ahead of city rivals Liverpool on goal difference—while QPR remain in the relegation zone as their curious inability to perform away from Loftus Road continues to weigh them down.

"[The goal] got us underway and we got the three points, which is the main thing," Barkley told Sky Sports afterwards. "For us to get three goals against a QPR side that played well was great. The lads played well."

"We got some goals at the right time," Naismith added. "QPR are an experienced team who have found a bit of form of late, and we knew it was going to be tough."

With injuries and suspensions affecting his midfield options, Martinez opted to station Barkley in an unfamiliar holding role alongside Muhamed Besic, with Aiden McGeady given a rare start as Steven Naismith also returned to the first XI behind striker Romelu Lukaku.

Redknapp, meanwhile, went with a 4-5-1 formation to try and frustrate the Toffees in the middle of the park. Junior Hoilett and Matt Phillips were asked to create danger from wide positions as Eduardo Vargas played the role of lone striker in the absence of suspended top scorer Charlie Austin.

It was initially an even, often open game, with Everton perhaps shading the play but QPR creating a threat of their own in an unusually subdued atmosphere at Goodison. Both sides were generally restricted to attempts from distance, however, and an opening goal never looked imminent until one of those attempts flew into the top corner.

It was Barkley who provided the moment of inspiration with his first dynamic attacking contribution. Having received the ball in midfield, the England international engaged in a give-and-go with Lukaku and took the ball onto his left foot before unleashing a powerful effort that just glanced off Mauricio Isla before arrowing into the top corner.

That brilliant strike—it may yet go down as an own goal if the "Dubious Goals Panel" are particularly officious, although that would surely be harsh on both Barkley and Isla—immediately opened up the contest, and 10 minutes later the home side were two ahead.

This time, it was Vargas who provided the decisive deflection. Mirallas’ free-kick from the edge of the box ricocheted off the Chilean in the wall and into the opposite corner, leaving Rob Green utterly stranded.

"

Kevin Mirallas free-kick goal (with some help off of a deflection). https://t.co/qTSkS4CQXM

— jose rivera. (@Jose8BS) December 15, 2014"

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

The ex-England goalkeeper could do little about that strike, or indeed Barkley’s opener. But shortly after the break, he was decidedly culpable for the goal that put the game beyond doubt. Green fluffed his clearance with little pressure, and the ball fell to McGeady, who ran to the byline before clipping a cross to the fair post that Naismith despatched clinically.

Throwing caution to the wind, Redknapp threw on Zamora in a bid to change the game. And indeed, QPR briefly dominated—although it was hard to say whether that was due to the tactical changes or Everton simply easing off the pace slightly. Leroy Fer and Jordon Mutch both threatened Tim Howard’s goal with speculative efforts, although the away side still struggled to get clear sights of goal.

With 10 minutes remaining, however, QPR finally carved out a dangerous chance—and with it forged a lifeline. Everton appeared to have the situation in hand when Mutch, who had flitted in and out of the contest, got the ball inside the box. But sharp footwork allowed the ex-Cardiff City man to get off a low shot at goal.

Howard did well to get down to parry the shot, but the rebound fell perfectly for Zamora, who tapped into the unguarded net and signalled to his side that a comeback remained possible.

Emboldened by that goal and with the momentum in their favour, QPR continued to push forward. But Everton—thanks in great part to the uncompromising work of Besic in midfield—avoided making things any more frantic, and Samuel Eto'o hit the post in the closing stages.

There was a slightly sour finish for the hosts when Mirallas was stretchered off following a clumsy challenge from Mutch—although that did allow Arouna Kone to make his long-awaited return to Premier League action.

Into the top 10, Everton will be hoping to kick on over the festive period. QPR, meanwhile, will wonder where their first away point is going to come from and whether their home form can continue to keep them competitive in the interim.

"Going into the Europa League has given us a few more problems," Naismith acknowledged after the match. "But we’re going to continue trying to work our way up the table."

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Player Ratings

Player	Rating
Tim Howard	7
Leighton Baines	7
Sylvain Distin	7
Phil Jagielka	7
Seamus Coleman	7
Muhamed Besic	8
Ross Barkley	7
Aiden McGeady	7
Kevin Mirallas	7
Steven Naismith	7
Romelu Lukaku	6
Substitutes
Steven Pienaar	6
Samuel Eto'o	6
Arouna Kone	6

Player	Rating
Robert Green	5
Yun Suk-young	7
Nedum Onuoha	7
Richard Dunne	7
Mauricio Isla	6
Joey Barton	6
Matthew Phillips	5
Leroy Fer	7
Jordan Mutch	7
Junior Hoilett	6
Eduardo Vargas	7
Substitutes
Bobby Zamora	7
Niko Kranjcar	6

What's Next?

Both teams are next in action on Saturday. Everton travel to Southampton, looking to extend the Saints' recent losing run, while QPR host West Bromwich Albion as they try to notch up another three points at home.

All quotes taken from Sky Sports' live post-match broadcast.