Jack Grealish was Everton’s hero as his deflected strike sealed a hard-earned 1-0 victory over AFC Bournemouth.
David Moyes' side climbed into the top half of the Premier League table, following their first ever win in the competition at the Vitality Stadium.
The match appeared to be heading towards a stalemate, as both sides generally lacked quality and a clinical edge in the final third, with Everton hitting the woodwork twice and Bournemouth seeing a goal disallowed before half-time.
But, in the 78th minute, Grealish took aim from 20 yards out and saw his shot ricochet off Bafode Diakite and nestle in the bottom-right corner.
While the Toffees are into the top 10, Andoni Iraola’s side could end Tuesday as low as 14th after their winless streak extended to five matches.
How the match unfolded
Bournemouth had the first meaningful attempt when Antoine Semenyo's fierce drive was pushed away by Jordan Pickford.
But Everton had started brightly prior to Semenyo’s snapshot, and the Toffees struck the woodwork twice from successive James Garner corners as they got back on the front foot.
Alex Scott’s attempted clearance clipped the bar, before a combination of the post and Djordje Petrovic thwarted Thierno Barry.
Bournemouth thought they had taken the lead with the last kick of the first half when Junior Kroupi turned in from close range, but the striker had strayed offside when Amine Adli flicked on Alex Jimenez's low cross.
Barry went close again early in the second half as he burst into the area, but his chipped finish was well saved by Petrovic.
However, the breakthrough arrived for Everton when Charly Alcaraz fed Grealish, whose effort left a flat-footed Petrovic with no chance after a huge Diakite deflection.
Iliman Ndiaye stung Petrovic’s palms soon after, but the single goal was enough to secure all three points for the visitors.
Cherries’ struggles continue
Bournemouth’s dip in form continues, with Iraola’s side suffering a fourth defeat in their last five Premier League matches.
The Cherries – who were without suspended trio David Brooks, Lewis Cook and Marcos Senesi – were on the back foot early as Everton registered four unanswered shots inside the opening exchanges, before Semenyo stung Pickford’s palms.
Iraola’s decision to introduce Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson on the hour provided the hosts with a greater attacking spark. Soon after his introduction, Evanilson teed up Semenyo, whose weak attempt did not trouble Pickford.
Luck was certainly not on the hosts’ side when Diakite’s attempt to block from Grealish’s strike saw him inadvertently sent it flying beyond a stranded Petrovic.
It was enough to bring Bournemouth’s seven-match unbeaten home streak in the Premier League to an end.
Things do not get easier either for Iraola’s team, who welcome Chelsea on Saturday before travelling to Manchester United.
Toffees end Bournemouth jinx
At the ninth attempt, Everton have finally beaten Bournemouth away from home in a Premier League match.
There was an onus for Moyes’ team to put in a much better display following their 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday, and despite missing Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane – making for a makeshift midfield with Garner playing at right-back – Everton looked confident from the start here.
The woodwork denied them a breakthrough in the first half, as Barry’s wait for a Premier League goal continues, but he is certainly getting closer to breaking his duck.
He recorded his first attempt on target in the top flight when he charged through in the second half, only to be denied by Petrovic.
Yet Grealish was the player who came up with the decisive moment, and Everton will feel they deserved their luck, given their resolute defensive display. It is now three wins in four games for the Toffees, who have kept a clean sheet in each of those victories.
Everton will look to build on that momentum at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, as they welcome former boss Sean Dyche to Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Club reports
Bournemouth report | Everton report
What the managers said
Andoni Iraola: "It has been a really poor game from our side. We've been bad on the ball, our build up hasn't been good today, and once you are not good with the ball you will not look good without the ball.
"The game has gone on the routes that Everton wanted, not a lot of rhythm, quite slow, not any big chances for any of the teams. I was expecting to concede set pieces and it was dangerous. I'm definitely disappointed with the performance. The result is bad. We lacked energy.
"A lot of things were not happening. I think we should have been much ore aggressive on the ball and without the ball. They scored one goal but I think they controlled the game more than us. It could have finished 0-0 but it was not the game we wanted to play."
David Moyes: "It was a brilliant effort considering what we had available to us. We were really concerned before the game, especially coming to Bournemouth because our record here has never been great. So to get a win here was really good. Maybe we just caught Bournemouth at the right time as well.
"I knew if we didn't concede we would have a great chance of winning the game, so the plan was to make sure that we didn't concede. We did it at Old Trafford last week and we've done it again tonight. But look, we had other moments where we could have maybe scored another goal or two and we didn't give them too many opportunities.
"It was a tight game, it could have maybe gone Bournemouth's way as well. I thought the first goal was always going to be the crucial goal."
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Key facts
Since David Moyes’ first away game back in charge of Everton in January, only Arsenal (30) have won more away Premier League points than Everton (27) and no side has won more away games in that time than the Toffees (8).
Bournemouth have lost four of their last five Premier League matches (D1), more than in their previous 17 combined (W8 D6 L3).
Everton’s Jack Grealish scored his first Premier League goal from outside the box since November 2020, when he did so for Aston Villa versus West Ham.
Bournemouth named their youngest ever Premier League starting XI (23 years and 254 days), with their lineup not featuring a single player over the age of 26.