Toffees maintain form with victory over Stoke City

Everton maintained its five match unbeaten streak with a 3-1 victory over Stoke City at Goodison. The victory keeps the Toffees pressure on Arsenal with an immediate goal for winning a Europa League spot.

With the injury situation slowly clearing up, David Moyes was able to pull Timmy Cahill back into his more natural midfield position and use Jô as the lone striker. The plan worked to perfection early as the Toffees threatened early on. After a few closes misses Everton took the lead eighteen minutes in as the ex-CSKA Moscow man  Jô sent the ball into the net as he received Marouane Fellaini's, sans bushy man, cross. Only seven minutes later Joleon Lescott doubled the margin as got on the end of a rebound from a Timmy Cahill close range chance via Leon Osman's cross. At the break Louis Saha came in for your favourite Aussie, Timmy Cahill and the current shifted heavily towards the visitors favour. Eight minutes after the restart Ryan Shawcross headed-in Liam Lawrence's corner and it was "game on" as Everton's lead was  cut in half. Stoke was suddenly controlling play as the Toffees were now holding on as opposed to attacking. Time clicked down slowly and with five minutes remaining David Moyes looked towards Jack Rodwell to provide more stability in the midfield. Looking for the equalizer Stoke was exposed as they threw forward and with five minutes left Leighton Baines launched a long ball for Marouane Fellaini, which the Belgian neatly accepted he ball and sent it in for a final 3-1 victory.