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With the 2016/17 Premier League season now completed, it’s time to look back and think about how things went.
Everton largely progressed under new manager Ronald Koeman finished four places higher, with four more wins, six fewer defeats and 14 more points compared to last season.
A seventh-placed finish is not one that can be deemed as memorable but there were certainly several notable games across the season.
Here at RoyalBlueMersey, we decided to compile the five best games from across this past season to look back fondly upon.
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Manchester City 1-1 Everton
The Blues were unable to pick up all three points at the Etihad back in October but the game was certainly a memorable one.
First, the goal from Romelu Lukaku that opened the scoring was nothing short of superb. In fact, it’s among our selection of the top five goals of the season.
It was a strike of the highest quality and one that demonstrated Lukaku at his sumptuous best. However, the goal was not the highlight of the game, it was the performance of Maarten Stekelenburg.
While Lukaku was determined to score the goals, the Dutchman was equally determined to keep them out. Not only did he have two penalties, he also pulled off a number of top saves throughout the game to ensure his side walked away with a point.
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Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Arguably the first ‘big’ result of the Ronald Koeman era at Everton and one that ended a disastrous ten games winless run at the start of the campaign.
In started in frustrating fashion for the Blues as they dominated the game but found themselves a goal down after Alexis Sanchez’s free kick had somehow deflected in off of Ashley Williams.
Seamus Coleman managed to pull his side level with a header before redemption came swiftly for Williams. Rising highest, he met a corner, smashing his header into the floor but somehow over Petr Cech to put his side into the lead.
That sparked an insane finale in which Cech ended up in the Everton goal, the Blues cleared two efforts off the line and then somehow failing to score with an open goal on a counter attack. Memorable? Check.
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Everton 4-0 Manchester City
It would be remiss to pretend this game is a memorable one because of a team performance; it’s all about Tom Davies.
On just his second league start the youngster lit up Goodison Park with a display that made a complete mockery of his younger years. Not only that, he scored his first senior goal and what a strike it was.
Taking the ball inside his own half, he outfoxed two City players, including Yaya Toure, before going on to chip over Claudio Bravo with a finish that the world’s best strikers would be proud of.
Elsewhere, a 4-0 win was the Blues biggest winning margin this season and even more impressive given they endured just 29% of the possession and four shots on target. Not bad going at all.
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Everton 6-3 Bournemouth
Nine goals, four from Romelu Lukaku and arguably one of the best celebrations this season, this win over the Cherries had it all.
First, the Blues put one of the best first half performances they’ve managed in years as they raced into a 3-0 lead and looked like they were cruising to all three points.
Instead, a Josh King brace sent Goodison Park into a panic before Romelu Lukaku added two more to make it 5-2. Unperturbed, Harry Arter pulled it back to 5-3 in the final ten minutes before Ross Barkley’s stand out moment.
Racing onto a long ball he rounded the goalkeeper and threw his arms up in celebration before he realised he still had to put the ball in the back of the net. He duly did and celebrated a crazy win with the rest of the Everton faithful.
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Everton 4-2 Leicester City
Another superb Tom Davies goal, terrible defending and more goalscoring exploits from Romelu Lukaku, this game had it all.
It all started well for the Blues as they were ahead inside a minute when Davies fired past Kasper Schmeichel following a superb run from Kevin Mirallas. Nine minutes later they were inexplicably 2-1 down, though, after handing goals to Islam Slimani and Marc Albrighton.
Unperturbed, Ross Barkley produced the cross of the season for Lukaku to level before Jagielka headed home a corner to put the home side back in front again. Another strike from Lukaku after the break put the home side 4-2 up and on course for all three points.
That was his seventh straight goal at Goodison, Everton’s seventh straight home win and completed the double over the champions. Lovely stuff.
Poll
What do you think was Everton’s best game this season?
This poll is closed
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0%
1-1 vs Manchester City
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6%
2-1 vs Arsenal
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85%
4-0 vs Manchester City
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5%
6-3 vs Bournemouth
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2%
4-2 vs Leicester City