Everton moved back up into the Premier League’s top four with a 2-1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It was a particularly satisfying victory for Carlo Ancelotti’s side who were without a recognised striker in their starting line-up but goals from Alex Iwobi and Michael Keane secured a big three points at Molineux.
Here’s a round-up of how the national media reported on the match.
Everton remain title outsiders but Ancelotti has put them back in the conversation
Tom Collomosse, Daily Mail
It is 34 years since Everton last won the league title and while they remain outsiders this season, Carlo Ancelotti has put this grand old club firmly back in the conversation again.
Michael Keane's late header took Ancelotti's side within a point of city rivals Liverpool and with the Reds taking on new leaders Manchester United this weekend, Everton could make further strides if their weekend game at Covid-hit Aston Villa goes ahead.
The Premier League will decide on that fixture on Wednesday but for now, Everton can reflect on a job well done.
Without top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has a hamstring injury, and with Richarlison fit enough only for a place on the bench, this win showed Everton's resilience and adaptability.
Determined Keane and Iwobi stepping up prove symbolic goalscorers
Gary Jacob, The Times
Carlo Ancelotti took great satisfaction from this victory. Everton returned to the top four of the Premier League by playing without a recognised striker as the manager adapted to the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin through a hamstring injury.
Michael Keane was the most determined of anyone when it mattered, meeting a cross to head the winner when Everton had barely threatened after the break, restoring a lead given by Alex Iwobi after a flowing move.
They were symbolic goalscorers: Keane continued to impress in organising the back line and is Everton’s joint second-highest scorer behind Calvert-Lewin, who has 11, while Iwobi grabbed his first league goal since September 2019, answering Ancelotti’s request for the team to step up to the plate.
In a bout between two sides with depleted strikeforces, Everton proved to be the more resourceful. Michael Keane headed his third league goal of the season to lift Carlo Ancelotti’s men into the top four.
Wolves, who had responded to Alex Iwobi’s early goal with a lovely finish by Rúben Neves, were on top for long spells but, ultimately, lacked the sharpness to take advantage. That is a recurring problem.
Everton, meanwhile, have developed a fortitude that enables them to keep winning even when weakened, especially away, with this being their sixth win from nine matches on their travels in the league so far.
Perhaps Ancelotti's lofty ambitions are achievable
John Percy, Daily Telegraph
Carlo Ancelotti was weeks away from the sack at Chelsea, nearly 10 years ago, when Everton last secured three points at Molineux.
Here was further evidence of Everton’s upward trajectory under their Italian manager as his team moved back into the top-four spots with a first win here since April 2011.
Michael Keane’s headed goal 13 minutes from the end secured Everton another impressive victory, despite the absence of injured leading goalscorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as Wolves’ season threatens to unravel into a damp squib.
Everton have now won six of their nine away games under Ancelotti and perhaps his lofty ambition to return the club to European football is achievable after all.
The memories of that peculiar run last year, when they lost four of their five games over October and November, have been replaced with a growing confidence over the season’s prospects.
Keane header lifts Everton back into the European picture
Nick Mashiter, Independent
Michael Keane maintained in-form Everton's Champions League challenge after a 2-1 win at Wolves.
The defender's second-half header lifted the Toffees back into the Premier League's top four.
Ruben Neves cancelled out Alex Iwobi's first league goal for 17 months as the teams traded early blows.
But Keane's far post header secured victory, although Neves hit the woodwork with a late free-kick, to leave Carlo Ancelotti's side back in the European picture.
