Everton of England midfielder, Alex Iwobi was missing from action on Wednesday, as his side kept their hopes of European qualification alive on a night the return of their fans at Goodison Park sparked The Toffees into life with a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The former Arsenal of England star’s personal woes continued, as his pals consoled themselves from the pain of already facing their worst home fortune in an EPL season, taking just 19 points before this game, but they were buoyed by noise from the stands and Richarlison’s header was the difference between both teams.
Megasportsarena.com reports that Iwobi was again overlooked, as The Toffees’ coach, Carlo Ancelotti kept to a three at the back but welcomed back Yerry Mina at the heart of his defence, while James Rodriguez was replaced by Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Wolves failed to create any problems for Everton after falling behind, having just one shot in the final 42 minutes as their season is ending with a big whimper, as The Toffees survived a lengthy VAR check and didn’t have many moments of worry after as the clock ticked down to secure them a vital three points.
The result means Everton remain in eighth, level on points with Tottenham Hotspur, who lost at home to Aston Villa, but a far inferior goal difference and final-day trip to Manchester City still leaves them as outsiders to seal seventh place and qualify for the Europa Conference League.
Ancelotti called for a reaction, deeming that result “embarrassing” but there wasn’t an obvious early response with Wolves dominating the ball and Everton struggling to move the ball through the lines at any sort of tempo.
Same night in the EPL, Bukayo Saka was in action for Arsenal against Crytal Palace, who did not feature Eberechi Eze and fell short, as late goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pepe helped The Gunners get a 3-1 win in Roy Hodgson’s last game at Selhurst Park.
Eze missed the game after he limped out of Palace’s final workout on Tuesday and the former Queens Park Rangers dazzler will be out of action for between six and nine months assuming his rehabilitation goes according to plan.
The 22-year-old Eze, whose transfer to Palace last summer has turned into the fairytale, with the attacking midfielder impressing in his first EPL season, scoring four times and setting up six goals in 34 top-flight games, is expected to see a specialist to determine the extent of the injury.
In Eze’s absence, Hodgson was given a guard of honour by both sides ahead of kick-off, but the niceties ended there. The game was a feisty affair as Arsenal chased a much-needed win to give them a glimmer of hope for European football next season.
Both sides had openings in the first ten minutes, as Vicente Guaita was forced into a stretching save as Calum Chambers’ cross searched for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the middle.
Arsenal then took the lead soon after with some sensational play from Saka and Tierney down the left, aided by a sublime back heel from Saka to send Tierney into space for a cross, which Pepe turned home wonderfully with his first touch.
Smith Rowe then attempted something similar, this time aiming for Saka, but no one was able to turn it home and, at the other end, Gary Cahill sent a header just wide of the post.
Arsenal created very little after the equaliser but, somehow, scrambled the ball home late on as Martinelli steered Martin Odegaard’s pass over the line.
Pepe then wrapped up a vital three points for Arsenal, who still face an uphill battle to secure a European place next season, as they can now only finish in the Europa Conference League, with a Europa League finish now out of their reach.
