Everton vs Wolves result: Leander Dendoncker seals emphatic away win for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side

The problems continue to mount for Marco Silva and Everton after they were emphatically beaten by a Wolves side for whom European qualification now looks a realistic target.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored three or more top-flight goals for a third successive game - the first time they have done so in 39 years - to underline the strides being made under his stewardship although the forecast for his opposite number is far less healthy.

If there is no formal “pressure” mounting on Silva from within the Everton hierarchy, then it is fair to say that the rank and file Everton fan is beginning to question the club’s direction under the highly-regarded Portuguese coach.

Defeat at Millwall in last weekend’s FA Cup tie is hardly the sort of result acceptable to the long-suffering Blue half of Merseyside and the boos that greeted the half-time whistle - and a 2-1 deficit - summed up the growing air of disquiet in the Goodison ranks.

Nor did the manner of the goals improve the mood of supporters who had seen their team win just three of their previous 11 league games.

The basic defensive errors committed on both first-half goals also clearly raised alarm, starting with Leighton Baines’ seventh-minute error when he clipped the leg of Matt Doherty from behind, despite still having teammate Kurt Zouma between him and the goal, and gifted Wolves a penalty.

It was duly converted by Ruben Neves, with a nonchalant finish that sent Jordan Pickford the wrong way and sent the ball rolling into the bottom right-hand corner.

Leander Dendoncker should have done better than shoot directly at the England goalkeeper as Wolves sought to capitalise on a period of dominance, a miss that proved costly as Everton, to their credit, responded.

Not until the 23rd minute and a Theo Walcott shot that was easily blocked by Rui Patricio, did Everton muster a noteworthy attack, but at least they began to play more through Gylfi Sigurdsson and looked threatening prior to their equaliser four minutes later.

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The move for the goal was begun, and finished spectacularly, by Andre Gomes who sparked a counter-attack around the halfway line then maintained his run, receiving Cenk Tosun’s final pass and sending a magnificent right-foot finish soaring into the roof of the goal from just inside the area.

Here, finally, was a platform upon which Everton could build, a matter of some pressing urgency given that Silva’s side has won just one league game at Goodison since late November.

But, again, their lack of focus in defence proved costly. In the final minute of the first half, Michael Keane impeded Diogo Jota as he chased through, off the ball, earning a yellow card in the process.

Joao Moutinho delivered the free-kick into the home area where, inexplicably, Raul Jimenez was unmarked on the six-yard line and able to head the simplest of finishes past Pickford to restore the lead.

Everton at least started the second half with a little more endeavour yet that simply left them open to being hit on the counter-attack by Wolves’ speedy and skilful ball players.

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That is precisely how their third goal came about, on 65 minutes, after Jonny Otto won a ball on the halfway line and started a furious attack which ended with Jimenez slipping the ball through for Jota who steadied himself and had his shot blocked by Zouma.

The rebound fell kindly for Dendoncker who made no mistake with a volleyed finish from eight yards out that left the home crowd momentarily shocked and the, quickly, furious.

A pitch “invasion” by a black cat a few seconds after the restart delayed the game but at least lifted the mood slightly although the fact the biggest cheer of the half from home fans came when it was finally apprehended by a steward spoke volumes.