Wilson scores twice as Bournemouth beat Everton

Eddie Howe said Bournemouth’s victory over Everton was a “huge moment in our season” as Callum Wilson scored twice at Vitality Stadium.

Having lost their previous two league games, against Leicester and Manchester City, the Cherries kick-started their campaign with a thoroughly deserved first home league win, lifting them to eighth in the table.

“Psychologically, it was hugely important to win that first home game which is why today was a huge moment in our season,” said Bournemouth manager Howe.

“We took our chances when the game was in the balance.”

England forward Wilson nodded Bournemouth into the lead after Joshua King’s close range miss.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalised with a towering header, his first league goal since March, before two goals in five second-half minutes sealed Everton’s fate.

Substitute Ryan Fraser made it 2-1 from a low free-kick which appeared to come off Fabian Delph on its way into the net before Wilson made it three goals in two games with a delicious lob past Jordan Pickford.

Wilson sends out Southgate reminder

On a weekend when Tammy Abraham scored a hat-trick for Chelsea to push his claim for an England place, Wilson gave Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate a timely reminder of his own capabilities in front of goal.

While his first goal was scrappy, his second – which sealed the points – was a sumptuous finish past England’s number one keeper after Everton’s defence had been caught cold.

Howe had bemoaned his side’s defending in their last outing against Leicester. The Cherries are still chasing a first clean sheet of the season – that despite an impressive contribution by 21-year-old keeper Aaron Ramsdale – and it was Everton’s mistakes at the back which propelled Howe’s team to victory.

The visitors failed to deal with a corner for the first, while they were undone by another set-piece as Fraser steered his free-kick low and hard beyond a two-man wall and past Pickford.

Wilson, who scored against the United States on his England debut in November 2018, still had work to do after racing clear for the third but the composure he showed to finish will not have gone unnoticed by Southgate.

The England boss last played the former Coventry player in the Nations League against Switzerland on 9 June, with Wilson an unused substitute in the two games since, the European Championship qualifying wins against Bulgaria and Kosovo.

“Callum took his goals really well and he pressed really well,” added Howe. “He was an all-round threat and his second goal was a brilliant finish.”

After back-to-back 3-1 defeats by Leicester and Manchester City, this was a timely win for Bournemouth, who welcomed Lewis Cook back to the midfield for the first time since December following his recovery from a knee injury.

Howe gave a league debut to 23-year-old defender Jack Stacey, a £4m buy from Luton in the summer, as he fielded a side with an average age of 24 years and 195 days, Bournemouth’s youngest starting line-up the Premier League.

Soft under-belly hampering Everton

Everton would have climbed above Tottenham, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal into third spot with a win on the south coast.

Instead, their season is back to square one with a top-six challenge looking some way off unless they can find greater consistency.

Marco Silva’s side flattered to deceive and were ultimately well beaten.

“There’s a big frustration because we lost the game and gave some things too easily to our opponent,” said Silva.

“Bournemouth not only won the first ball, they won the second and the third.

“We have a lot of work to do – we have to be more clinical, more aggressive and more solid because we cannot concede goals as easily as we did.”

Silva had opted to drop Moise Kean, the 19-year-old Italy forward signed for an initial fee of £25.1m in the summer.

His replacement, Calvert-Lewin, was denied by Ramsdale when the game was goalless and cancelled out Wilson’s opener with his first goal in 971 Premier League minutes following Richarlison’s cross.

Richarlison also hit the bar before the opening goal and had one final chance to score after Wilson made it 3-1.

The Brazilian forward had the chance to ensure a nervous finish for Bournemouth after Ramsdale had beaten away Alex Iwobi’s attempt but, on an afternoon to forget for the Toffees, put the opportunity wide.

Man of the match – Aaron Ramsdale (Bournemouth)