As I took my front row seat at Goodison Park I was filled with the hope of back-to-back wins that had propelled us clear of the dotted line and the joy of knowing that Luton’s loss at Molineux had rubber stamped our Premier League status for another season.
As the final whistle blew I was filled with relief that those previous results had launched us to safety as what I’d just witnessed from the Bees was pitiful.
With both teams looking to make it 3 wins in a row and historic results in their most recent match my hopes for a classic were high; I was about to be mightily disappointed.
After a frenetic opening 5 minutes the teams settled into the midfield morass that would characterise the rest of the half.
On the few occasions the ball broke out of the morass it was the visiting defence that found itself by far the busiest. The visitors attacks ended when no-one gambled to get end of the decisive balls being whipped in, whilst the hosts should have taken the lead within 6 minutes.
Dwight McNeil was allowed to sprint into acres of space on the Everton right and Youssef Chermiti was milliseconds away from sliding home the resulting tantalising cross.
That was the closest either team came to scoring in a half where both keepers could have gone for a refreshing shower and no-one would have noticed.
Everton did at least try to create some moments of excitement but they were strangled in the crib thanks to a masterclass in team-defending by the Bees, with Mbuemo, Wissa and Toney all seen tracking back to cut out attacks far more than launching their own.
The lack of half-time substitutes from either team was mystifying, but as Everton made their first of the match in the 75th minute, it spoke volumes that Brentford were making their 3rd and 4th.
In a half totally bossed by the Toffees, the visitors best chance came early in the half when Ivan Toney was fed the ball in the box and slid the ball in true daisy cutter style towards goal only for his England teammate Jordan Pickford to drop on the ball like a bear on a salmon.
It was a good thing for both that Gareth Southgate was not in the stands though as that was the last telling contribution from either player.
The second half was Everton’s playground and after McNeil rattled the bar with a 20-yard thunderbolt it was not surprise that the hosts got the only goal of the match on the hour mark.
McNeil’s shot would have been a beautiful way to win a match, but Idrissa Gana Gueye smuggling the ball home through a jungle of legs after a tussle in the box was far more fitting for this match.
The rest of the match was more mediocrity from the Bees and a lack of killer instinct from the Scousers but at full-time the home fans didn’t care.
Riding high off the back of their first home derby win since 2010 the win in this one confirmed the Blue scousers final season at Goodison Park will be a Premier League one.
As for the lacklustre Bees, this felt like they were on their way down from the high of an unforgettable victory at Kenilworth Road as we had a day to forget in a season to learn from.
Today’s performance will be a distant memory as we step out at the Gtech on Saturday to celebrate securing a 4th straight Premier League season in-front of a packed house, with just the ultimate party-poopers from round the corner to overcome.
Doing the double over those Cottagers would be the perfect response to this toothless display.
The Football tourist 