Everton confirmed their top flight status for another season as they beat Bournemouth 1-0 at Goodison Park on the final day of the season. The result kept the Toffees up, with Leicester and Leeds both dropping down to the Championship along with already-relegated Southampton.
Everton knew a victory against the Cherries would be enough to confirm survival, but they found it difficult to find a way past stand-in Bournemouth keeper Mark Travers despite the likes of Demarai Gray, Idrissa Gueye & James Garner all going close.
Elsewhere, Leicester were beating West Ham, which meant the Foxes would stay up if they won and Everton drew. Sean Dyche’s men continued to press for a goal at Goodison Park, and got it before the hour mark through a wonderful effort from midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure.
But Everton’s inability to score a second meant a tense finale, and they had to endure ten nerve-wrecking minutes of stoppage time before their league survival was confirmed. They eventually finished 17th with 36 points from 38 games, three lower than their tally from the previous 21-22 season.
Bournemouth finished 15th as a result of the defeat- victory for the Cherries would have seen them leapfrog both West Ham and Wolves in the league standings.
