Everton end home campaign on high as Doucouré header sinks Sheffield United

The moment when the players and fans at Goodison Park walked around the pitch to show appreciation was very fitting. Everton finished their last home game with another great victory and thanked their supporters for standing together during a very tough season. Sean Dyche, the players, and the fans all deserved to celebrate their unity together.

Everton finished their season at Goodison Park by achieving a remarkable feat - they won their fifth consecutive home game and kept a clean sheet. This result matches the club's record in the Premier League. It was Abdoulaye Doucouré's header that secured their victory against the recently-relegated Sheffield United. Interestingly, only Manchester City and Arsenal have amassed more points than Everton since the beginning of April. Despite facing two separate point deductions, Everton's amazing performances would have placed them in 11th place on the table. This would have been a huge accomplishment for any other team or manager in the Premier League. Sean Dyche, Everton's coach, was jubilant as he praised his team, the staff, and the passionate supporters who have shown unwavering support throughout the season.

Everton had a relaxed and easygoing afternoon, although only on the surface. It was a rare occasion where they did not feel stressed. The sun was shining, and the players were not biting their nails in anticipation of their Premier League survival since it was secured before their final home game for the first time in three seasons. Although, Dyche’s team had been better at times. However, life for Everton is never carefree.

During the programme, Kevin Thelwell, who is in charge of football operations at Everton, said the same thing as the manager. He said that this summer, the club needs to make money because they don't have enough and they also don't know if someone will take over the club. Thelwell wrote that they need to make sure that the club is stable in the long-term. That means they will sell some players and also try every possible way to bring in new players, including getting players on loan.

Once again, there is bad news surrounding 777 Partners, the investment company that Farhad Moshiri is supporting to take over Everton. It appears that the company is facing financial troubles and has brought in specialists to help with bankruptcy. Additionally, two of the football division's co-founders, Josh Wander and Steve Pasko, have been removed from the board. Despite all this, the proposed takeover has not been confirmed as being completely cancelled.

The players and managers of Everton displayed impressive resilience by performing well, despite facing several significant challenges such as the possibility of losing points, going into administration, or facing uncertainty regarding their own careers.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was a force to be reckoned with against United's defensive trio. His exceptional skills saw him become the first to reach the ball both in the air and on the ground. He even managed to set up a splendid opportunity for Doucouré to net an early goal by gracefully receiving James Tarkowski's lengthy pass and threading the ball between Auston Trusty's legs. However, Doucouré failed to convert the chance into a goal, shooting directly at goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.

The duo from Everton teamed up once again and helped Dyche's team get the lead that they deserved. McNeil sent a precise pass to Calvert-Lewin who was quick to move past United's keeper Foderingham and cross the ball back from the by-line. Doucouré successfully scored with a header from close range. Dyche had just scolded Doucouré for not staying near Calvert-Lewin to make the most of his clever moves. Dyche's advice was wise.

Just moments after, Jack Robinson pushed Calvert-Lewin to the ground with both hands raised and some force, which could have further weakened United’s chances. The United captain totally lost his composure, however, the referee Stuart Attwell only gave him a yellow card. This caused a lot of disbelief as even Calvert-Lewin was also booked, probably because of something he said. Dyche expressed that according to modern rules, he should have been sent off, whereas Chris Wilder believed that the referee and VAR made a rational choice, though some people would argue that it could have been harsher.

During the second half, the visitors showed better quality and put pressure on the Everton defence numerous times. However, they were unable to finish their opportunities. Ben Brereton Díaz, Cameron Archer, and Gustavo Hamer all missed good chances, while Jarrad Branthwaite, who might be leaving Everton for a better deal, took a risk with a backpass that almost surprised Pickford. It could be his final appearance for Everton at Goodison.

Wilder conceded that despite having opportunities, we lacked the necessary level of skill to make a comeback. This has been a recurring issue since the start of the season until now, as we have played 37 games.