Everton managed to keep Bournemouth to a whimper on Tuesday night in their 1-0 win in the Premier League and David Moyes’ stars should be heralded after they broke an incredible season-best.
Everton travelled to Bournemouth having never won a league game at the Vitality Stadium in their history, having failed to beat the Cherries in their previous eight visits in the Premier League.
That changed on the night when Jack Grealish scored a late deflected goal to put Andoni Iraola’s men to the sword, and Everton squeezed into the top half to keep their name in the hat for a European place.
But despite David Moyes’ attacking stars getting the plaudits for finally changing the landscape on the south coast, it’s their defence who should be rightly heralded.
Everton conceded their fewest shots on target on the Premier League road this season vs Bournemouth
In all of their Premier League away games this season, the Toffees have conceded at least three shots on target, forcing Jordan Pickford into action.
Their opening day clash away at Leeds saw the newly-promoted side register three attempts on goal, and that figure picked up in their following games.
Wolves managed four at Molineux, rivals Liverpool matched the Yorkshire outfit with three of their own, Manchester City blasted seven shots at Pickford in a 2-0 loss, whilst Sunderland and Manchester United managed three and six attempts on goal respectively as Everton kept a clean sheet against the Red Devils.
Bournemouth hadn’t lost at home all season prior to Tuesday’s clash, only conceding four goals in six games at the Vitality Stadium in what would have been a huge test of Everton’s credentials.
But the Toffees, despite boasting a makeshift backline, kept the Cherries to just two shots on target throughout the game – beating their season record on the road and showing that they may have turned a real corner under David Moyes.
Everton are not used to being proficient on their away days over the past few years
Everton aren’t used to having a superb away record, but this season has seen them register three wins in seven games.
That is more away wins than they registered in the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign and the 2021-22 season, and it shows that there has been a mentality shift at the Hill Dickinson Stadium under David Moyes.
The Scottish boss has won the most games of any Premier League team on the road, barring title favourites Arsenal, since he came to the fore in January.
That is alien for Everton fans in recent years and their top support away from home will go a long way for them if they are to reach Europe this season.
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