Goodnightpublished at 20:30 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January
Thanks for joining us today. Match of the Day is on BBC One at 22:20 GMT. We'll be back for two Premier League games tomorrow including the big one at Anfield.
David Brooks' stylish volley gave Bournemouth a hard-fought Premier League victory over relegation-threatened Everton.
The Cherries had been blunted by a dogged Everton side for 77 minutes at the Vitality Stadium before Brooks struck with a superb controlled finish.
A cross from Milos Kerkez towards the back of the box picked out the run of Brooks who cushioned a volley with his left boot which flew beyond Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Everton failed to register a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes in a familiar tale of woe up front, although Nathan Patterson lifted a shot over the bar.
The result heaps further pressure on Everton boss Sean Dyche, whose side have won just one of their past 11 league matches and are two points above the drop zone in 16th.
Bournemouth are seventh - three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who occupy the final Champions League spot.
The Cherries also set a new club Premier League record of eight games unbeaten.
When Brooks finished with aplomb it was impossible not to feel a degree of sympathy for Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The England goalkeeper was his typically animated self but backed it up with a near-faultless display between the sticks.
Pickford superbly denied Dango Ouattara from close range early in the contest and then produced a double stop to deny Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert before the break.
In front of England's new goalkeeping coach Henrique Hilario, watching from the stands, the 30-year-old was equally impressive after the interval as he dived full length to tip Ouattara's low shot from 20 yards past the post
It would take a moment of real quality to beat Pickford on this form and there was little he could do about the goal.
Brooks evaded Everton defender Vitalii Mykolenko to create space for himself and Pickford was left unsighted so could not react in time.
Pickford has been the Everton fans' player of the season for the past three campaigns but was left chuntering to himself as he left the pitch after another game in which the Blues failed to cut it in attack.
They managed just 132 shots on target and only scored 31 goals in the Premier League in 2024, the fewest of any ever-present club across the calendar year.
At the start of 2025 things look to be continuing in the same vein. Dyche simply has to find a way to get his side to stop firing blanks.
Bournemouth showed real positive intent - with 19 shots, nine of which were on target - and deserved to pick up the three points here.
The Cherries played some slick football against an Everton side who seemed determined to stifle their opponents more than anything else.
Andoni Iraola's side remained true to their style even as the minutes ticked down and it appeared Pickford would emerge the hero.
Everton's players failed to make runs into space and bickered with each other after passes went astray.
By contrast there is a synergy about Bournemouth even when things were not going their way.
They stayed patient and duly got their reward.
For just the second time in 13 calendar years Bournemouth have seen in the new year with a league victory.
With more points at this stage of a Premier League campaign than ever before these might be uncharted waters.
However, the tantalising prospect of qualifying for Europe for the first time certainly looks to be within their grasp.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 45 | 17 | 28 | 45 |
| |
2 | 20 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 39 | 18 | 21 | 40 |
| |
3 | 19 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 19 | 7 | 37 |
| |
4 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 39 | 24 | 15 | 36 |
| |
5 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 22 | 12 | 35 |
| |
6 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 36 | 27 | 9 | 34 |
| |
7 | 20 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 23 | 7 | 33 |
| |
8 | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 30 | 32 | -2 | 32 |
| |
9 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 28 | 25 | 3 | 29 |
| |
10 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 28 |
| |
11 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 38 | 35 | 3 | 27 |
| |
12 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 42 | 30 | 12 | 24 |
| |
13 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 24 | 39 | -15 | 23 |
| |
14 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 22 |
| |
15 | 20 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 21 | 28 | -7 | 21 |
| |
16 | 19 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 25 | -10 | 17 |
| |
17 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 31 | 42 | -11 | 16 |
| |
18 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 33 | -15 | 15 |
| |
19 | 20 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 23 | 44 | -21 | 14 |
| |
20 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 44 | -32 | 6 |
|
Manager: Andoni Iraola
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Sean Dyche
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Andoni Iraola
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Sean Dyche
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Premier League
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Bournemouth have won five of their last seven Premier League games against Everton (L2), coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Goodison Park in the reverse fixture in August.
Everton have never won a Premier League away match against Bournemouth (D2 L5), with their seven visits the most they’ve faced a side on the road without ever winning in the competition.
Everton have lost their first league game in six of the last seven calendar years, though the exception was a goalless draw against Aston Villa in 2024. Their last such win was in 2017 against Southampton (3-0).
Bournemouth have won their first league game in just one of the last 12 calendar years (D6 L5), losing the last three in a row since beating Stoke City 1-0 in 2021.
Bournemouth are unbeaten in each of their last seven Premier League games (W4 D3) – they’ve never had a longer run without defeat in the top-flight.
Everton have won just one of their last 10 Premier League matches (D6 L3), beating Wolves 4-0 last month. Meanwhile, the Toffees have failed to score in a league-high 10 different Premier League matches this season.
Bournemouth have scored a league-high 10 goals in the final five minutes (86th min onwards) of Premier League games this season. The Cherries are also ultimately eight points better off thanks to goals scored in this timeframe (9 points gained, 1 point lost), the biggest difference so far this term.
Everton have had fewer big chances than any other side in the Premier League this season (27), while their shot conversion rate of 7.3% is their lowest on record in a single campaign in the competition (since 1997-98).
Everton have scored a league-high six Premier League goals from free-kick situations in the Premier League this season, while overall a league-high 53% of their goals have come from set pieces (8/15).
With three goals and three assists, Bournemouth’s Dango Ouattara is enjoying his best return for goal involvements in a single Premier League campaign. Four of his six goals (2) and assists (2) this season have been as a substitute.