West Brom vs. Everton: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Everton overcame a two-goal deficit in the second half to claim a 3-2 victory over hosts West Bromwich Albion on Monday at the Hawthorn.
West Brom led 2-0 through goals by Saido Berahino and Craig Dawson, but a Romelu Lukaku-inspired Everton stormed back with three goals in the final 35 minutes to win it. Lukaku gave the Toffees hope before Arouna Kone—assisted by Lukaku—netted the equalizer in the 75th minute. Lukaku then grabbed the winner six minutes from time.
The hosts will feel aggrieved by a couple of refereeing decisions that aided Everton's comeback. Replays showed that Kone had been marginally offside on the equalizer, and Lukaku appeared to handle the ball inadvertently before firing in the winner.
The result took Everton up to fifth, while West Brom fell to 15th. Here, Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Romelu Lukaku
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Romelu Lukaku played a starring role in Everton's stirring comeback, scoring twice and assisting the other goal with an excellent pass.
The Belgian striker started the fightback at the best possible moment for Everton, heading in Gerard Deulofeu's cross just one minute after West Brom had doubled their lead to 2-0. The goal highlighted Lukaku's abilities as a target man, as well as the value of his physical presence up top.
Twenty minutes after scoring Everton's first, Lukaku set up the second with a brilliant reverse pass to Arouna Kone. Replays showed that Kone was marginally offside at the time Lukaku released his pass, but the big Belgian still deserves recommendation for showing a creative side to his game.
Then, in the 84th minute, Lukaku won it with a goal that resulted from sheer determination and power. Deulofeu provided the cross again from the right, and Lukaku brought the ball down under pressure. Replays showed that the ball struck the striker's arm as he did so, but there was no intent in the act, and the referee was probably correct to allow the play to continue (if in fact he saw it).
Lukaku then outraced West Brom goalkeeper Boaz Myhill to the ball and slammed in at the near post.
With that, Lukaku had turned the game around with power, skill, determination and creativity. What more could manager Roberto Martinez ask of his starting striker?
Loser: Ramiro Funes Mori
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Ramiro Funes Mori started in defense for Everton with first-choice center-back John Stones recovering from an injury. The Argentine turned in a mixed performance and was at fault for West Brom's first goal.
In the 41st minute, Funes Mori received a pass from goalkeeper Tim Howard as the Toffees attempted to build out of the back. The defender quickly lost possession and put his side under pressure. Gareth Barry had a chance to stop West Brom's attack but miskicked the ball and gave the Baggies another chance.
James Morrison then passed to Saido Berahino, who beat Howard with a low shot that deflected off the American goalkeeper. Barry and Howard will be disappointed with their roles in the goal, but it all started with Funes Mori, who was sloppy in possession.
Winner: Gerard Deulofeu
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Gerard Deulofeu was a difference-maker for Everton on the right, launching dangerous cross after dangerous cross from his side of the pitch. The Spanish winger collected two assists and would have had another if Ross Barkley had finished a big first-half chance.
Deulofeu's numbers were impressive. According to Squawka, the 21-year-old attempted nine crosses and seven take-ons, created four chances and finished with the two assists. West Brom were unable to cope with the threat he offered, and his incisive crossing played a major role in Everton's comeback.
"Deulofeu should be starting every game on the right flank now," tweeted B/R's Matt Jones. "The lad has gone up a level. Final ball so much better."
Everton manager Roberto Martinez agreed. "Gerard Deulofeu took extra responsibility," he told BBC Sport. "He wanted the ball all night, and it was a real mature performance."
Loser: Pulis Ball
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The script seemed set. West Brom defended well in the first half, staying compact and organized to limit Everton's chances. Saido Berahino scored an opportunistic goal late in the first half, and Craig Dawson doubled the lead from a corner shortly after the break.
If ever there was a template for a Tony Pulis victory, this was it. The Baggies were playing well defensively, holding a lead at home after scoring from a set piece. With two goals in hand, the home side seemed assured of victory.
But then Everton mounted a furious comeback. And in Pulis' words, West Brom "switched off."
"The first goal kills us. We should deal with it. Losing Gareth McAuley and Jonas Olsson to injury hasn't helped us any, playing against Romelu Lukaku," Pulis told BBC Sport. "Really, really disappointing, because before we scored the second goal we had some good chances. We switched off, and Everton will punish you."
In fairness, the absences of McAuley and Olsson clearly hurt West Brom. But a two-goal lead should have been enough. But as has been the case so far this season, it was all or nothing for the Baggies defense.
Through seven games, Pulis' men have kept four clean sheets. According to Fox Sports, only Manchester City have recorded more. But in the three games they have conceded any goals, they've given up three each time.
Not coincidentally, the Baggies have lost all three.
Winners: Roberto Martinez and Everton
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Everton manager Roberto Martinez really has to be pleased. After seeing his side fall behind by two goals, the Spaniard oversaw an impressive comeback that took the Toffees up to fifth place.
Martinez's decision to introduce Arouna Kone in the 72nd minute paid quick dividends. Just three minutes later, the Ivorian scored the equalizer.
And it's not just any day that a Premier League team comes from two goals down to win a match. According to Everton's official statistician, the Toffees last accomplished that feat in an away match in 1985. As Opta noted, the club's only previous two-goal comeback in the Premier League era came in May 1994, at home to Wimbledon.
"We were very disappointed with the first half. We were off, every single individual," Martinez told BBC Sport. "The mountain we had to climb, it would have been easy to lose focus, but we got three goals against the best defensive structure in the Premier League. Every three points is huge, but it feels extra good."
The key for Martinez and Everton will be to continue this feel-good run. Up next the Toffees host Liverpool in the Merseyside derby on Sunday. The atmosphere is always intense when the two old rivals meet, and this match will be no exception.
Victory for Everton would not only deliver bragging rights but would also aid the Toffees in their quest to mount a serious top-four challenge this campaign.
Winners: Fans
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The home fans at the Hawthorns will have gone home disappointed, but at least they were treated to an exciting second half that featured four of the game's five goals.
It was much the same for fans around England over the weekend.
According to @BPLZone, the weekend's 10 Premier League games produced 41 goals. That's an average of 4.1 per match, which equals loads of excitement for fans.
