EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB - News Archive

Everton 1-1 Birmingham

Tony Hibbert failed to shake off a groin strain and Joseph Yobo returned from suspension, so Moyes fielded a string defence with Yobo, Weir, Stubbs, and Pistone forming the back four. Wayne Rooney, strongly tipped to start, was on the bench again.

The game started fairly evenly with both sides testing their respective opponents with shots from long-range. But it turned into a very scrappy half with few if any chances for either side, and the first decent shot coming from Gravesen after 42 mins.

But moments later, Gravesen played the ball off Pembridge and finally fed a beautiiful ball through to Radzinski and the young Polish Canadian worked his magic yet again to slot home.

All Everton had to do was defend for another 20 seconds and they could walk in at half-time with a vital one-goal lead. However, before the dust had settled, Stan Lazaridis's pinpoint cross was met by Kirovski who powered a header past Richard Wright. Kirovski had put the Brummies back in it just on the point of half-time, with Lazaridis having come on just moments earlier in place of Damien Johnson.

Everton were unable to really take the game to their hosts in the second half, with few openings again being created. Soon after the hour mark, David Moyes sent for the boy, bringing on both Rooney and Watson in an effort to change the game.

And change the game it did... although not quite in the way intended. Everton were reduced to ten men as Wayne Rooney was sent off by David Elleray for a two-footed challenge on Steve Vickers. Vickers was stretchered off the field with Birmingham having used their three substitutes so both sides were a man down for the last 10 mins.

Both teams huffed and puffed but could not break the other down as the minutes ticked away, and Everton failed to take advantage of a slew of good results around them in the pack chasing Arsenal's rapidly receding tails at the top of the table

Team Points

1. Arsenal 42

2. Chelsea 38

3. Man Utd 35

4. Everton 34

5. Liverpool 33