Everton v Middlesborough:

The late kick off on Saturday seen Ronald Koeman's Everton side welcome Aitor Karanka's Middlesborough to Goodison Park. Everton had last played on Monday at Sunderland, where Romelu Lukaku bagged a spectacular 11 minute hatrick in a 3-0 victory. Middlesborough had tasted defeat at home to Crystal Palace losing 2-1. Middlesborough started the brighter of the two sides as Stewart Downing headed wide from a Gaston Ramirez free kick. A controversial decision led to Middlesborough taking a surprising lead as Alvaro Negredo bundled into Maarten Stekelenberg from a cross and the Dutch man dropped the ball into his own net. Everton appeals couldn't sway Lee Mason as the goal stood and boos rang around Goodison. It wasn't long until Everton found their equaliser as Victor Valdes made a mistake as the ball fell to veteran midfielder Gareth Barry who coolly converted from close range to make it 1-1 Irish full-back Seamus Coleman gave Everton a deserving lead just before the half time interval as he skipped inside Ayala and found the bottom corner with the finish of a striker from the former Sligo Rovers man. Moment's later, club record signing Yannick Bolasie found Romelu Lukaku in the penalty area and the big Belgian flicked home past Valdes to make it 3-1 heading into the break. The only worry for Koeman's side was the injury to star striker Romelu Lukaku after the hour mark as they brought on Enner Valencia for the remaining 25 minutes.

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Ross