THAT'S HANDY, ANDY

It had been nearly five years since Gomes last scored a goal at Goodison Park... but his free-kick winner was worth the wait

- ANDY DUNN

THE last time Andre Gomes had scored at Goodison Park, Marco Silva was the manager, Farhad Moshiri attended matches, and profit and sustainability might have been a comedy double act for all Everton fans knew.

Almost five years later, Gomes finally struck at home again to give the locals a lift as another points deduction rears its threatening head.

It might take the magic of a good lawyer to keep Sean Dyche's side in the Premier League but at least they still have the magic of the FA Cup and a fourth-round tie against Luton to look forward to. Not that there was anything particularly magical about this victory, about this night.

If Everton are indeed relegated from the Premier League, points deductions will clearly be a decisive factor, but they have also had spells of strictly indifferent form.

Coming into this contest, they had not won in six matches and scored only three goals in that spell. Having a non-scoring flagship striker does not help.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks less and less predatory, less and less an instinctive finisher, with each game that passes.