EVERTON 3 PORTSMOUTH 1

Blues continue charge for fourth spot with strong display
Everton 3 (Yakubu 2, Cahill)
Portsmouth 1 (Defoe)
By Daniel Gregory 02/03/08

Everton produced a determined performance against a strong Portsmouth side to regain fourth spot in the Premier League.

Yakubu bagged another two goals and caused the Pompey backline all kinds of problems all afternoon, linking up well with Tim Cahill, who also returned to goal scoring form.

The game had barely started when Everton took the lead with a Yakubu header, after Joseph Yobo had helped on Steven Pienaar's free kick. Yakubu outmuscled Portsmouth's Lassana Diarra to win the free kick just outside the box straight from kick off, with the goal timed at 50 seconds, including the stoppage for the wall to be moved back, and the kick to be taken.

Pompey fought back and equalised after Jermaine Defoe got the smallest of touches onto Glen Johnson's inswinging cross to help the ball past the helpless Tim Howard.

Everton were happy to get into the break level, with Harry Redknapp's side pressing for a second, and were also on the back foot after the break, with Pompey coming out in determined fashion.

Everton remained resolute at the back while under pressure, with the defence of Hibbert, Jagielka, Yobo and Lescott all making important interceptions and blocks to keep out the frontline of Kanu and Defoe, and the advancing Sulley Muntari and Niko Krancjar.

David Moyes introduced Andy Johnson who made an immediate impact on the game, stretching the Portsmouth defence and running the channels well. With Portsmouth typically chasing the three points, Everton managed to hit on the counter attack, and went in-front again when Tim Cahill headed home from close range, after good work in the channel from Yakubu.

The result was put beyond all doubt when Yakubu latched onto Lee Carsley's long ball over the top of Sol Campbell, and managed to turn inside past Campbell and hammer the ball past the helpless David James.

David Moyes was delighted with the performance, and pointed out he thought Andy Johnson had made all the difference after being introduced.

EVERTON: Howard (7) Hibbert (7) Jagielka (8) Yobo (8) Lescott (8) Neville (7) Carsley (8) Pienaar (7) Cahill (8) Yakubu (9) Subs: Johnson (8) Anichebe (7) Baines (6)

Man of the match: Yakubu