Tom Davies is a star, Jamie Vardy is a shadow of his former self and there's no stopping Romelu Lukaku

Five things we learned from a six-goal thriller at Goodison Park

Joe Miles
Sunday 09 April 2017 19:38 BST
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Davies is mobbed by his team-mates after giving Everton the lead within thirty seconds
Davies is mobbed by his team-mates after giving Everton the lead within thirty seconds (AFP/Getty )

A thrilling 4-2 victory against Leicester marks Everton's first league double over the Foxes in 30 years.

Romelu Lukaku continued his rich vein of form with two goals, while Phil Jagielka and Tom Davies also got on the scoresheet.

As Ronald Koeman’s men continue their quest to finish in the top six, what can we take away from today’s action at Goodison Park?

Here are five things we learned from the six-goal thriller.

Davies strikes again

Davies was terrific again (AFP/Getty )
Davies was terrific again (AFP/Getty ) (AFP/Getty)

The youngster is a product of Everton’s youth system and he has recently cemented his position in the starting line-up, following a catalogue of impressive displays. And today was no different. The 18-year-old opened the scoring within 30 seconds, following some clever build up play by Mirallas.

The Everton starlet oozes confidence for a player of such a young age. Today he was tackling hard, creating chances and his ability to read the game is remarkable. His future at the club looks bright, with the youngster recently signing a new deal to keep him at Goodison Park for the next five years.

Jagielka needs to be man-marked


This should not have been allowed to happen 

 This should not have been allowed to happen 
 (Getty)

The defender headed home Everton’s third today, once again proving his aerial ability. Following his header against Arsenal, you’d have thought that Leicester would have surrounded him with blue shirts. The corner comes flying into the box, the skipper leaps up above the crowd and comfortably heads the ball home.

The 34-year-old is a menace at both ends of the field, as today he put in a solid defensive display. He made a handful of crucial challenges to deny The Foxes any chance of a comeback. His work rate is faultless and he leads by example.

Never turn down an opportunity to watch Everton vs Leicester

The game proved to be a thrilling watch
The game proved to be a thrilling watch (AFP/Getty)

This game was an action packed 90 minutes with everything that a football fan can desire. Six goals, flaring tempers, crunching challenges and controversial decisions ensured that the drama remained high.

Both sides were battling relentlessly and the early goal from Davies raised the tempo from the first minute. The second half started in a similar fashion, with both sides playing like their careers depended on it. Two goals from Lukaku capped the Everton victory, but this did not affect the attitude of the Leicester players. A top watch.

Vardy’s gone off the boil

Vardy is struggling for form
Vardy is struggling for form (Getty)

The hero of the 2015/16 Premier League campaign is struggling to replicate his fine form of last season. There is no lack of service for the Leicester forward, but he is failing to find the final product. Today he showed glimpses of brilliance from time to time, but Shakespeare will want more from him than that.

However, an element of his game that is improving is his passing. Today he was picking up possession in the middle and pumping balls out wide to the likes of Slimani and Albrighton. It’s encouraging to see, but Leicester fans will want him to see him hunting goals in the penalty. Like he used to.

Lukaku is unstoppable

Lukaku continued his fine goal-scoring run
Lukaku continued his fine goal-scoring run (Getty)

The Premier League’s top scorer bagged two goals today, continuing his fine spell of form and securing the win for Koeman’s men.

The first goal was assisted exquisitely by Barkley, who sent an enticing ball into the box towards the Belgian striker. The 23-year-old made the finish look routine with a cushioned header past Schmeichel.

To double his tally, he poked home a close-range strike following an Everton corner. His ability to read the game is faultless and his combination of pace and power is enough to make any defenders knees tremble.

An all-round top display by a man who is proving pivotal within the Everton side.

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