Everton were going into the game against relegation rivals Nottingham Forest off the back of an absolute hiding from league leaders Arsenal as well as a demoralising defeat against Aston Vila before that.
So the pressure was on going into this game week then Wolves and Southampton both got the most precious of three points to ramp up the pressure even more.
There has certainly been some improvements under Sean Dyche and due to the sheer amount of teams who are in the relegation battle Everton do have a massive chance to stay up with a win at the City Ground massively changing the view of their current situation and that optimism was with the whole away end ten minutes in.
Demarai Gray, who had not been handed a start under Dyche, dispatched the penalty that Dwight McNeill won with ease to give Everton a much needed start.
Unfortunately for The Toffees it didn’t last long as Brennan Johnson equalised after he followed in Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort which Jordan Pickford found too hot to handle.
The reaction from Dyche’s men was so unlike Everton this season though as they dug in and ten minutes later Abdoulaye Doucoure had nodded in a fantastic set-piece routine to get Everton’s second goal of the encounter.
Two goals away from home, the away end must have thought they were dreaming as they belted out Spirit Of The Blues.
They saw out the half professionally and in the second 45 minutes it seemed like they were going to do exactly that with a classic Dyche performance.
Steve Cooper’s were mounting on the pressure but they lacked a cutting edge until their star man this season Johnson got his brace with a lovely placed effort into the top left corner.
The Welsh international came close to getting a hat-trick and winning the game but it wasn’t to be for either side however Everton can certainly take the positives even though a point still leaves them in the bottom three.
In the bottom three yes but only five points away from 12th place which really emphasises how close it is this season and yet again it looks like it will go to the final few games.
One strong run of games though can change all that with all Evertonians and Dyche himself having their fingers crossed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin will return to full fitness sooner rather than later.
He really could be the difference between Premier League football and Championship football next campaign.
Brentford at home next.
