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Wolves 1 Everton 1: Blues grab late lifeline at Molineux

By Matt Townsend

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MAY 20: Yerry Mina of Everton scores the equaliser during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton FC at Molineux on May 20, 2023 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MAY 20: Yerry Mina of Everton scores the equaliser during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton FC at Molineux on May 20, 2023 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images) /
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Yerry Mina’s ninety-ninth minute equaliser handed Everton a potentially critical lifeline in the battle to avoid relegation after today’s game at Wolves.

Going into this afternoon’s match the Toffees knew they had to take something from it, perferably a win of course, which would have more or less guaranteed survival.

The big selection questions for the Everton manager were around whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin would be fit and who would play at left-back.

In the end Calvert-Lewin did start but as I feared couldn’t finish the game and like last weekend he had to go off halfway through. Why didn’t Ellis Simms get a chance though?

He must now be a serious doubt for the crunch final match against Bournemouth on the final day of the season.

Dwight McNeil got the nod to fill in at left-back and so Sean Dyche could stick with a flat back four, including Mina.

It was not a memorable game for sure although there were a few clear-cut chances before Wolves opened the scoring through Hwang Hee-Chan who finished after Jordan Pickford had pushed out a shot from Adama Traore.

Everton were the better side early on and they had a few good opportunites and then when Calvert-Lewin (who had two good chances in the first half) went off, it looked like the Blues wouldn’t have any real chance of finding a goal.

As the minutes ticked ny in the second half and the Toffees couldn’t find a breakthrough, it looked more and more likely they would return to Merseyside empty handed.

Then in the final minute of an extended added time period, after a scamble in the box Mina fired home for what could prove a very precious point.

So, it all comes down to what happens in the rest of this weekend before the final round of games next Sunday afternoon.

After Nottingham Forest’s win over Arsenal has made them safe, Evertonians have to hope that West Ham can beat Leeds United tomorrow and then Newcastle defeat Leicester City on Monday evening.

If both those things happen then the Blues might only need a draw against Bournemouth to stay up. Of course, Everton can’t rely on others though.

It will be a very tense and difficult afternoon at Goodison Park again, as it was in 1994 and 98 when the Toffees ultimately stayed up on the last day.