James Tarkowski ‘Massive’ at Everton after what Troy Deeney just spotted
Abdoulaye Doucoure was the hero for Everton as they beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 on Saturday.
The Toffees battled past Champions League-chasing Forest to rise to thirteenth in the Premier League, with Doucoure scoring in added-on time.
The result is a reflection of how far Everton have come under the management of David Moyes, as they prepare for the move to Bramley-Moore Dock with Premier League football.
Doucoure not the only hero at Everton
It may have taken until the 94th minute for the winning goal, but the Toffees were well deserving of victory, having stifled Forest throughout.
Against a side who have been in impressive form and hard to break down throughout the campaign, it was an impressive performance at the City Ground.
| Team | Possession | Shots | Shots on target |
| Nottingham Forest | 42% | 10 | 5 |
| Everton | 58% | 13 | 5 |
Moyes may have unlocked Everton in the final third, but he hasn’t lost that ruthless defensive streak that they have always had, no matter who is in charge.
As a result, James Tarkowski secured himself a place in Troy Deeney’s team of the week.
Writing on the BBC Sport website (15 April), Deeney said: “Tarkowski was excellent for Everton, especially when you look at how he dealt with Chris Wood.
“Just the intelligent play to handle anything thrown his way from Nottingham Forest. To stop Forest scoring is a massive testament to his game and Everton’s defence.”
Everton given boost ahead of Manchester City
The momentum being built under Moyes is exciting for those at Goodison and having got past Nottingham Forest, the boss will be keen for a similar performance against Manchester City on Saturday.
The Toffees don’t have anything to play for this term and now sit comfortably safe from relegation, but with it being the final few weeks at Goodison Park, Everton will want to go out on a high.
The boss will surely be looking towards the summer transfer window now as he prepares to make additions to the Everton squad in the hope of pushing up the table.
That being said, there are players in the team who know how to perform to the expected levels and need to be tied down too.
Tarkowski will be entering the final year of his current contract with the Blues but the experienced star has delivered consistently for the Toffees, meaning there could be an extension to come.
There have been links between the Blues and Forest of late, with some suggesting that Moyes could lead his side on a similar run next season.
Those in Merseyside won’t want to get ahead of themselves, but the future certainly looks more optimistic.