Everton produced a stylish and commanding performance to defeat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a result that pushed David Moyes's team up to fifth in the Premier League table. The match marked a miserable return for former Toffees boss Sean Dyche, who witnessed a transformed club from the one he left.
Blistering Start Sets the Tone
Determined to avoid a repeat of their slow start against Newcastle, Everton flew out of the blocks and were ahead with just 83 seconds on the clock. The visitors made a sluggish beginning, with Nicolo Savona booked after only 24 seconds for a foul on Jack Grealish. From the resulting free-kick, sustained pressure led to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall cutting inside and delivering a cross from the left which deflected off the head of Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic and past goalkeeper Matz Sels.
It was a disastrous opening for a Forest side that had been so organised in their previous Merseyside outing against Liverpool. The first half was stop-start, with only 18 of the opening 40 minutes featuring active play. Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal remained largely untested until first-half stoppage time, when he made a smart save to deny Elliot Anderson.
Barry's Moment of Glory
Everton capitalised on that save in devastating fashion, scoring a classic counter-attack goal seconds later to double their lead just before the interval. Iliman Ndiaye stole possession deep in his own half and embarked on a surging run, eventually squaring the ball to Thierno Barry. The summer signing from Villarreal made no mistake, slotting a crisp first-time finish past Sels to send the home crowd into raptures.
The £27m forward's first goal for the club was met with wild celebration, relieving the pressure after a string of games where his work ethic was praised but his finishing had been lacking. The strike effectively killed the contest before half-time.
Dewsbury-Hall Seals Comfortable Victory
Dyche responded with a triple substitution at the break, but it did little to shift the momentum. Forest had a rare chance when Nicolás Domínguez saw a shot blocked on the line by James Tarkowski after a poor punch from Pickford. Everton, however, continued to look the more dangerous side.
Dewsbury-Hall, the game's outstanding performer, hit the post after a neat exchange with Grealish. The midfielder wasn't to be denied his goal, however. He sealed the three points in the second half, drilling home emphatically after Sels could only weakly palm a James Garner corner into his path. The 3-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of Everton's superiority throughout a one-sided encounter.
The victory represents Everton's fourth win in five Premier League games, solidifying the impressive progress made under David Moyes since he replaced Sean Dyche in January. For Forest and Dyche, it was a day to forget, with the team appearing subdued and well-beaten from the early stages.
