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Everton 1 Blues 0
Wayne Rooney came off the bench to score the only goal in what was a poor game, and one that Everton probably did deserve to win bearing in mind their second half possession.
David Dunn was ruled out through injury, whilst Clinton Morrison was only fit enough to be named a substitute, and so Steve Bruce brought in Bryan Hughes on the left-hand side of midfield, and Stern John to partner Mikael Forssell up front. Stan Lazaridis continued as a makeshift left-back.
In the early periods, Blues looked the better team, enjoying plenty of possession, and using the ball well. Hughes in particular looked up for the battle against the club he supported as a child, and perhaps should have done better after robbing Tony Hibbert of the ball, only to fire a tame shot straight at Nigel Martyn. John too went close with a header over the bar after good work by Lazaridis.
Prior to this, Duncan Ferguson had a goal disallowed for offside, but otherwise Everton were offering very little. The home side, however, did get themselves into the game, and Ferguson began to be the aerial threat that he can be, with Tomasz Radzinksi linking up well with the Scot, and both coming close to opening the scoring before half-time.
At half-time, the game was beginning to look like a dead cert for a 0-0 draw. Blues didn't look like scoring, with Hughes fading out of the game, and Dunn's absence meaning there was no creativity, but at the same time, Everton didn't look like scoring either. They did have Wayne Rooney on the bench though.
Sure enough, after the interval Rooney replaced Lee Carsley to occupy a wide-right role, perhaps to try and expose Lazaridis. Whilst Rooney is a magnificent talent, having someone like him to bring on isn't just about the player himself, but about the whole boost that the player gives to everyone around him. Like Blues of old with Jose Dominguez, Everton now looked a different proposition, because the fans had been lifted, and so had the rest of the side. Rooney hadn't touched the ball, but the game had a different feel to it.
As you'd expect, given the shift in atmosphere (the home fans had been incredibly subdued in the first half), Everton took control of the game, but still Blues were looking fairly solid at the back. On the one occasion the defence was opened up, Maik Taylor made a fine save from Kevin Kilbane at his near post.
Unsurprisingly it was Rooney who did break the deadlock on 69 minutes. Ferguson and Alan Stubbs both challenged Taylor from a Gary Naysmith corner, causing Taylor to fumble the ball which was thumped home by the England International striker. Whilst people may point to Taylor being fouled, he should have been stronger, and as for leaving Rooney on his own in the penalty area, well, it's not like he was some unknown quantity, is it?
Blues huffed and puffed to get back into the game, but it was Everton who still looked the most dangerous, especially through Rooney who was shooting from left, right and centre - forcing Taylor into a great save from one spectacular effort shortly after the goal.
Blues were reduced to appalling Robbie Savage set pieces (how can they differ so much in the space of three days?) and pumping hopeful balls to Forssell and substitute Morrison, whilst fellow replacement Jovan Kirovski got stuck in, but to little effect.
It was just one of those days for Blues - a complete non-descript performance. No one was dreadful, but no one was particularly good. Blues never looked like scoring, and but for one moment of poor defending, may not have conceded either. Thankfully the two successive victories prior to this defeat mean it's not as costly as it could have been, but performances do have to be raised against Blackburn - as well as getting one or two players fit again.