Nigeria international Alex Iwobi was back in action for Everton on Saturday as the Toffees romped to a 5-2 win over West Brom in the Premier League early kickoff. Iwobi was last weekend conspicuously missing in the season-opener away to Tottenham Hotspurs and that fuelled speculations around his future.
However, the former Arsenal star came on as a 71st-minute substitute in Everton’s big win at Goodison Park on Saturday. Interestingly, it was the Baggies that started in front as Grady Diangana shot the visitors in front in the 10th minute. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s men clawed their way back with Dominic Calvert-Lewin getting the equaliser just after the half-hour mark and James Rodriguez ensuring Everton emerged tops in the first 45 minutes with his maiden goal for the club.
Life was expected to be hard for West Brom in the second half following the red card given to Kieran Gibbs just before the break. However, the same way they started the first half like a house on fire, it was the Baggies that struck first in the second as Matheus Pereira made it 2-2 two minutes after the restart.
From then on it was Everton all the way as Michael Keane restored the home side’s lead in the 54th minute before Calvert-Lewin popped up with quick-fire goals in the 62nd and 66th minute to effectively take the game off the reach of West Brom. Calvert-Lewin’s hat trick is quite historical as he is officially the youngest ever Englishman at 23 years to score a Premier League hat-trick for Everton.
It is also worthy to note that Calvert-Lewin has scored more Premier League goals under Carlo Ancelotti than he has under any other manager in his career. Everton are presently topping the Premier League table having secured maximum points in their first two games of the season.
