Anyone looking for signs of an Everton revival would be well advised to wait until less accommodating opponents are encountered. For Marco Silva’s stuttering side a match against the team propping up the table came along at the ideal time.
A new face in the dugout made little or no difference to Huddersfield’s fortunes on the pitch, they gifted an early goal and were unable to take advantage when Everton went down to 10 men with almost half an hour remaining.
To be kind to the relegation strugglers they were worth at least a point and might have had one but for some excellent goalkeeping by Jordan Pickford, particularly when keeping out a header from Elias Kachunga near the end. To be kind to Everton they managed to see out the game after Lucas Digne’s dismissal but this win was far from the confidence booster it could have been. Though Richarlison added to his goal tally it was just about all he managed successfully.
“It was not a perfect performance and probably not the best game to watch but we deserved the three points for showing character,” Silva said.
Jan Siewert was introduced with a small fanfare before his first game as the Huddersfield manager and it did not take his players long to demonstrate why David Wagner was finding life so difficult.
They were behind after three minutes, picked apart by a Tom Davies pass that allowed Richarlison an early shot on target. Jonas Lössl managed to keep it out with his knees, though it was a simple enough task for Richarlison to reach the loose ball first and find a now unguarded net. Only in the team because Idrissa Gueye had been left out pending a transfer bid from Paris Saint-Germain, Davies managed to reach the goalline to turn the ball back before the home side had properly managed to cross the halfway line.
Siewert cannot have been all that surprised, having taken over a side who have picked up only one point since November. Huddersfield have just five home goals to their credit from 13 league fixtures, a record low. While the reliable Jason Puncheon looks a decent acquisition his inclusion left Aaron Mooy and Alex Pritchard on the bench, leaving Huddersfield somewhat short of attacking inspiration.
Puncheon produced the neatest of back heels to set Kachunga free along the goalline as the home side searched for an equaliser but, unlike the Everton move earlier, it did not produce a goal. Kachunga’s cross found Steve Mounié so awkwardly the striker was obliged to pass the ball backwards out of the area.
Huddersfield improved when Mooy came on and he helped create his side’s first clear chance by providing room for Terence Kongolo to cross from the left, only for Kachunga to head over.
Everton should have heeded the warning, but just past the hour they were caught on the break again through Juninho Bacuna’s superbly timed chip forward for Adama Diakhaby to chase. The French forward was through on goal, yet before he could make up his mind about shooting Digne clipped his heels to earn a straight red.
The agile Pickford kept out Mooy’s well-struck free-kick and though Huddersfield had chances to score in a tense last 10 minutes, to no one’s great surprise they were unable to take them. “We made a bad start but at least we fought back to create openings,” Siewert said. “Now I know why Jordan Pickford is the England No 1.”
