Everton travelled to the Riverside looking to bounce back after defeats to both Arsenal and Man Utd in the last two weeks. Everton were without regular starters like Arteta, Cahill and Joey Yobo for this New Years Day fixture. The match started at a very high tempo, but, unfortunately the high pace of the first few minutes of the match was about the sum total of the excitement in the first half. 

Everton never really had a shot apart from a James McFadden effort from the edge of the eighteen-yard-box that deflected out for a everton corner. Jagielka came to Everton’s rescue when he cleared a Stewart Downing shot off the line half way through the first half.

The Second half was not much better as the rain poured down. The Boro Fans got bored of booing Yakubu, and the Everton fans continued to sing “Feed the Yak and he will Score.” Everton’s travelling Fans were getting restless after a poor match but AJ rewarded the four thousand Everton fans who made the journey with a 66th minute right footed shot into the bottom right corner of mark Schwarzer goal with the assist coming from Steven Pienaar. And it was a great finish at that.

Five minutes after AJ’s opener James McFadden got Everton’s second goal of the match. McFadden combined with AJ to put everton two up in the 71st minute, and then dedicated his goal to Motherwell Captain, Phil O’Donnell, who sadly passed away earlier this week. McFadden and O’Donnell were team-mates before McFadden moved to Everton.

Everton were certainly not rampant at Middlesbrough, but Everton’s progress was there for all to see. Stripped of four first team starters, coming off the back of a 4-1 home defeat, the Blues showed brilliant character and togetherness. Man of the match was Steven Pienaar. He showed yet again the quality he has got and why Everton should sign him permanently as soon as possible.