:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/28790195/469720409.0.jpg)
Joel Robles – 6
Everton’s stand-in keeper didn’t have much to do and wasn’t tested for most of the game with the Swans only managing three shots on target.
Seamus Coleman – 8
Coleman was excellent as always, as good going forward as he is defending and quickly becoming the best, if not then one of the best right-backs in the country. Out of both back fours, the Irishman was the only one who looked completely assured when defending and I can’t recall a single error from him.
Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin – 6
Similar to Robles, both Jagielka and Distin had very little to do thanks to the lack of Swansea City attacking play. I could rate the centre back pair at the same level as both had similar games; Álvaro Vázquez was clearly isolated up top on his own for Swansea as both Everton fullbacks pushed the Swans’ wide players in the opposite direction which meant for an easy afternoon for Jagielka and Distin.
Leighton Baines – 7
Superb as ever going forward and as per usual Baines was key in the Blues’ build-up play. On the defensive side there were not too many times where Baines was called upon as both he and Coleman pushed both Lamah and Routledge, and in the second half Dyer, up to the opposite end of the pitch and that forced the isolation of Swansea’s loan striker.
James McCarthy and Gareth Barry – 6
In the same view as Distin and Jagielka, McCarthy and Barry could be rated in the same light. Both won back possession fairly well but uncharacteristically were sloppy in possession. It’s also conceivable that one of the two should have picked up the run of Jonathan de Guzmán for the Swansea goal, because once he had the run on the centre halves from deep there was only one winner of the header.
Kevin Mirallas – 6
The Belgian was fairly quiet in Sunday’s clash, Mirallas didn’t have a bad game but there weren’t too many times were the forward showed his brilliance.
Ross Barkley – 6
Barkley is still clearly injured; playing on injections is not going to help his development, his chances of going to the World Cup or the team. The youngster should be given time for his injury to fully heal. Despite that, he didn’t play that bad, just not to the lofty standards he set before his injury.
Steven Pienaar – 7
Pienaar was definitely the best attacking threat for the Blues and the games since the derby have shown the 31-year-old’s best form of the season. The playmaker was the main orchestrator in the Everton attack and was unlucky not to score with two attempts with his head.
Lacina Traore – 7 first half, 6 second half
The forward looked a lot more agile and dynamic than his physique suggests. Before Traore’s hamstring injury he was on a winter break from the Russian Premier League so it’s important to remember that Evertonians might not see the best of the Ivorian, at least for 90 minutes for a couple of weeks. A clever finish for his goal after surprisingly composed play in the opposition’s box by Distin. Traore also held the ball up well something we’ve been missing since Lukaku’s injury and something Swansea were missing on the day but the 23-year-old was clearly tired in the second half which meant a drop in his performance.
Subs
Leon Osman (Ross Barkley 61’) – 7
The veteran influenced the game in a positive manner when he came on for Barkley and had a good impact to the Toffees’ play in the final third.
Steven Naismith (Lacina Traore 61’) – 7
Almost a cameo-like performance from the Scot, finally playing close to his position and is rewarding Martinez for playing him there. A winning contribution from Naismith as he turned the game when it looked like a replay was on the cards, through excellent anticipation to get on the end of Neil Taylor’s unwanted assist and to get ahead of Ashley Richards to win the penalty.
Gerard Deulofeu (Kevin Mirallas 87’) – N/A
The young Spaniard didn’t really have sufficient time to make his mark on the game so it would be unfair to give him a rating.
Man of the match: Seamus Coleman
The 25-year-old was clearly the best performer for either side, combining solid and assured defending with attacking play that outshone his counterpart on the other side when it is usually Baines outshining the unsung Coleman. The right-back overlapped Mirallas well and got the better of the Swansea defence almost every time he ventured forward; it’s time more people picked up on that Everton have the best left-back and the best right-back in the league!
