Everton

Pickford recovered from scoring an unfortunate own goal earlier in the game to ensure his side left Bramall Lane with a point, miraculously denying Oli McBurnie twice at the death.

He tipped a header onto the underside of the crossbar and then recovered to turn the follow-up effort onto the post as Everton got their league season up and running after three successive defeats.

Pickford and his team-mates have come under the spotlight following their winless start to the season, but Dyche believes the England goalkeeper proved himself.

“Like everyone, he had some question marks recently because the team were conceding big moments,” Dyche said.

“Every player should be questioned because that’s the world we live in. Every top player gets questioned, that is part and parcel of being a top professional. It should be a stimulus if anything.

“But it shows again what a top keeper he is, I thought his all-round performance was very good.

“He was very unlucky with their second, quite obviously, and made two fantastic saves, when it is really important to do so. If that goes against you everyone is scratching their heads, but he made sure it doesn’t happen.

“The madness of football, we could have ended up losing it; Jordan makes those saves at the end and you think ‘how mad is football?’ – it would have been an injustice if it went against us but it didn’t.”

Abdoulaye Doucoure scored Everton’s first Premier League goal of the season as they went ahead early, but Cameron Archer’s first strike for the Blades levelled things up.

Archer was involved again soon after as his shot hit the post and rebounded off Pickford’s back and into the net as the Blades took a half-time lead, only for Arnaut Danjuma to level after the break.

Pickford then came up with his heroics and Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom knows his side need those moments to go in their favour this season.

“It’s an unreal save, the second one he doesn’t know too much, it hits his head and the post, but it’s a big moment,” Heckingbottom, who also saw his side earn their first point of the season, said.

“It’s another example of why we love the game and how fine the margins are.

“We are not stupid, we know that we are going to need a lot of those moments to go in our favour this season, of course we are. Today it didn’t.

“But I can’t grumble, I think it was a really good game and probably a fair result.”

Everton were reduced to 10 men late in the first half at Anfield when Ashley Young was shown a second yellow card but Pawson opted not to make the same decision midway through the second half when Konate pulled back Beto.

The Toffees had succeeded in keeping the game goalless to that point but Mohamed Salah then scored a penalty after a VAR review saw Michael Keane penalised for handball and the striker added a very late second to give Liverpool a 2-0 win.

Dyche was booked following the Konate decision, and he said: “I have no clue. I have asked the referee and he said he didn’t feel it was a bookable offence and he felt that straight away. I don’t know what is then.

“I think people who were here today would be stunned it was not a second yellow. Their manager took him off as quick as he could, he’s realised. I don’t want to talk about referees. I can’t remember the last time I spoke this openly about referees and decisions but that one is incredible to me.

“And I got a yellow card. I don’t even know why I got a yellow card. It was a near impossibility. For literally gesticulating like everyone in the stadium was probably. That’s ridiculous.

“I would get in trouble so I’m not going to get too involved in it, I think I’m trying to be fair. How that’s not a second yellow is nearly impossible I think in the modern game.”

Dyche had no real complaints about the Young decision or the penalty, saying: “The sending off happens. I think the first one’s touch and go, the second yellow is a yellow. That’s the way it goes.

“The penalty, I don’t like the modern rule but I am aware of it. I don’t think it is a deliberate act but they’re the rules now, it’s going to get given.

“I must say I’m getting bored of all this running over to the TV. We all know what’s going to happen. They’re talking about speeding the game up, why not just get on with it? There is somebody in an office with 47 views. If it’s a penalty, it’s a penalty.”

Dyche called for VAR to be used for instances such as Konate’s that could lead to a sending off but does not believe Liverpool were given the rub of the green as a result of the high-profile officiating errors in their recent loss to Tottenham.

“I doubt it, I think referees just referee whatever’s going on in front of them,” he said. “I just think it was a bad decision. I think there were a lot of bad decisions, both ways. But that’s a vital decision in a game like this.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp immediately substituted Konate and had sympathy with Dyche, although he insisted he did not see the incident clearly.

“I didn’t see it back, and I was not sure I saw it 100 per cent, I think I was somewhere else in that moment, but then when he’s going down, and Ibou I knew had a yellow card, I knew that could be tricky,” said the Reds boss.

“He didn’t get the second yellow then I thought we don’t give it a chance and take him off. I can imagine the frustration of Everton and Sean, absolutely.”

Nevertheless, Klopp believed his side fully merited the three points and praised Salah, who took his goal tally for the season to eight.

“What I love most about Mo is that Mo Salah played for us an incredible amount of fantastic games,” said the Reds boss.

“Today it was not his best game but being that clinical is probably his biggest quality and I love that, because you need somebody who brings the ball over the line.

“I couldn’t respect that fact more. That’s absolutely outstanding. The numbers are crazy. He will never stop, that is his nature and that’s really cool for us.”

Armstrong’s first league strike of the season came in the 85th minute of Saturday's tightly fought contest, while lifting the Saints off the foot of the table.

Aaron Ramsdale had earlier kept the scores level with a fine save from Michael Keane's close-range header, while substitute Beto nodded against the crossbar.

Southampton broke through five minutes from time when substitute Yukinari Sugawara's low centre was superbly swept home by Armstrong.

Everton thought they had an equaliser when Beto raced in behind and finished brilliantly beyond Ramsdale. 

However, a VAR review showed that the Brazilian had strayed offside, and the goal was overturned, to the delight of the home fans, who celebrated a Premier League victory for the first time since March 2023.

Data Debrief: Saints off the mark

Southampton finally have their first victory on the board courtesy of Armstrong's strike which, timed at 84 minutes and 33 seconds, is their latest Premier League winning goal since Charlie Austin struck six seconds later against Arsenal in December 2018.

The Saints also recorded their 14th Premier League win against Everton at home, now their outright most against a single opponent in the competition.

As for the Toffees, their five-game unbeaten league run comes to an end, and they have now lost 11 of their last 15 league games in November.

The deal is rumoured to be worth an initial £50million, while add-ons could take the full figure to £60m.

Richarlison has signed a five-year contract at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and has become Spurs' fourth signing ahead of the new season after Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma.

If the deal does eventually reach the full £60m, it would make Richarlison the club's record signing.

The 25-year-old joined Everton from Watford in 2018 and had been a key figure at the club ever since that £50m move.

He played a vital role in helping Everton avoid relegation from the Premier League last season, scoring six of his 10 top-flight goals in the club's final nine games as Frank Lampard's side ended the campaign 16th.

Richarlison scored and assisted (five) more Premier League goals than any other Everton player in the 2021-22 season, and his 29 chances created was the fifth-highest in the squad.

Only four Everton players racked up more Premier League minutes than the former Fluminense attacker, and his 10 goals came from 10.1 expected goals (xG), suggesting he was reliable in front of goal in the context of the quality of chances provided by team-mates.

Chelsea had been mentioned as a potential destination for Richarlison, but Spurs have acted decisively in getting a deal over the line, with the Blues seemingly preoccupied with their pursuit of Leeds United's Raphinha.

Spurs are reported to also be targeting a move for Richarlison's now former Everton team-mate Anthony Gordon, while Barcelona centre-back Clement Lenglet is expected to be their next signing.

The Toffees dominated this Premier League match – having 15 shots – but remain goalless and pointless in the 270 minutes they have played so far this season as the visitors scored with their only effort on target in the 87th minute.

Fans streaming out of Goodison had seen it all before as recently as a fortnight ago when a similar performance against Fulham also saw them lose 1-0 as they endured their worst start to a season since 1990-91.

But the supporters in old gold did not care as they headed back down the M6 celebrating their first win of the campaign – secured by a player making only his third appearance after rupturing his ACL in his first match last season – and their third in succession at Goodison Park for the first time.

Although his top-flight career failed to stay airborne for long, it certainly got off to a flying start when he became the division's youngest goalscorer for Everton against Crystal Palace.

His achievement stands 15 years on but, as you can see below, that's not even close to being the longest such record across the top five leagues in Europe.

Here are the youngest goalscorers ever seen in the Bundesliga, LaLiga, Ligue 1, the Premier League and Serie A. Enjoy your trip down memory lane...

BUNDESLIGA: NURI SAHIN (17y, 82d)

Date: 26/11/2005

Match: Nurnberg 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

Sahin became the youngest player in Bundesliga history when he made his debut in August 2005 at 16 years and 334 days old. Just three months later, he was in the record books again, netting Dortmund's second goal in a 2-1 win at Nurnberg after David Odonkor had put them ahead.

What happened next? Sahin's early career at Dortmund was hugely promising, but things became more difficult once injuries took their toll amid unhappy spells at Real Madrid and Liverpool. He returned to Dortmund and the Bundesliga in 2014 and has been with Werder Bremen since 2018.

LALIGA: FABRICE OLINGA (16y, 98d)

Date: 18/08/2012

Match: Celta Vigo 0-1 Malaga

Olinga made LaLiga history when he (rather fortuitously) scored the only goal of the game in Malaga's 1-0 win at Celta. Rarely have there been more momentous goals scored off the thigh from five yards.

What happened next? Olinga left Malaga for Apollon Limassol in January 2014 but spent most of the next year on loan at Zulte Waregem and then Viitorul. After a dispute with Sampdoria, in which compatriot Samuel Eto'o took the club to court on Olinga's behalf over a player registration dispute, the Cameroon international signed for Mouscron.

LIGUE 1: RICHARD KRAWCZYK (16y, 3m, 15d)

Date: 08/09/1963

Match: Angers 1-2 Lens

Only 11th in the list of Ligue 1's youngest post-war players, Krawczyk leads the way in terms of youngest goalscorers after helping Lens to victory over Angers in September 1963.

What happened next? Part of a proud tradition of players of Polish descent at Lens, Krawczyk spent five years in the first team before playing for Metz, Reims and then returning to his old club in 1976 until 1979.

PREMIER LEAGUE: JAMES VAUGHAN (16y, 270d)

Date: 10/04/2005

Match: Everton 4-0 Crystal Palace

Vaughan broke the record held by James Milner when he struck in the 87th minute against Palace, after Mikel Arteta and a Tim Cahill double had put Everton in control.

What happened next? 'Nomadic' is an apt description of Vaughan's career. Apart from Everton - whom he officially left in 2011 - the striker has played for 12 different clubs, most recently joining League One strugglers Tranmere Rovers on loan from Bradford City in January.

SERIE A: AMEDEO AMADEI (15y, 287d)

Date: 09/05/1937

Match: Lucchese 5-1 Roma

The fact Amadei's record stands 83 years on shows what an admirable feat it was (even if it's a game Roma fans would soon forget). He also remains the joint-youngest player to appear in Serie A, the other being Pietro Pellegri.

What happened next? Amadei scored 111 goals in 234 games for Roma and is recognised as a true club great. His time with Atalanta, Inter and Napoli, whom he twice coached in the 1950s and early 1960s, saw him inducted into Italian football's hall of fame in 2018 five years after his death at the age of 92.

Every division has something riding on the final days of the season, whether it be top spot, European qualification, or relegation.

Ahead of what is set to be a dramatic conclusion to the Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga campaigns, we look at the state of play in each league.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester City wrapped up the Premier League title with three games to spare, making them the first team in the competition's history to win the title despite being as low as eighth on Christmas Day.

All three relegation places were also decided with three games remaining – a Premier League record – with Fulham joining Sheffield United and West Brom in dropping down a division.

That leaves just the European spots to fight for, and it is shaping up to be an entertaining end to the English top-flight season in that regard. Manchester United are guaranteed a top-four finish, but five other teams – Leicester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and West Ham – are in the mix for the two other Champions League berths with two rounds of games to go.

There is also the small matter of the Europa League places for the teams finishing in fifth and sixth, as well as a spot in the inaugural Europa Conference League, which goes to the team in seventh, meaning everyone from 10th-placed Leeds United to Leicester in third have something to play for. That includes Arsenal, who have not missed out on European football of some sort in 25 years.

LALIGA 

The Spanish title race appeared to take a dramatic twist on Sunday as Real Madrid leapfrogged Atletico Madrid at the summit for around 20 minutes. However, Atleti scored two late goals to beat Osasuna, meaning they are two points ahead of their city rivals heading into the final round of games.

Atleti, who have led the way at the top for 29 matchdays, now need to match Madrid's result against Villarreal when they travel to relegation-threatened Real Valladolid on the final day of the season. It is worth noting that Los Blancos have the superior head-to-head record, so a draw would not be enough for Atleti if Madrid win.

Barcelona are officially out of the title race, meanwhile, but they are assured of a top-four finish along with Sevilla. Real Sociedad and Real Betis occupy the Europa League spots, while Villarreal are in a Europa Conference League berth, though just one point separates the three teams so that could all yet change.

To complicate matters, Villarreal could still qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League final against Manchester United.

At the bottom end of the division, Eibar are already relegated and they will be joined by two of Valladolid, Elche or Huesca. Valladolid must beat Atletico in their final game to have a chance of staying up, while the onus is on Elche to better Huesca's result as they are level on points but have an inferior head-to-head record.

LIGUE 1

The Ligue 1 title battle is also going right down to the wire in a three-way dogfight. After a thrilling race that has lasted the course of the season, underdogs Lille lead heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain by one point with one matchday left.

Monaco have won seven of their previous eight games and are three points off leaders Lille, though they require both Les Dogues and PSG to slip up on the final day, as well as beating Lens. Should it come down to goal difference, PSG hold a big lead over their two title rivals.

Incredibly, PSG are still not yet technically assured of a Champions League place as Lyon in fourth are only three points worse off, although it would take a defeat for the reigning champions and victory for Lyon, plus a goal swing of 16, for them to miss out.

Monaco's opponents Lens, incidentally, also have plenty to play for at the weekend as they are sixth – enough for Europa Conference League qualification – but can still be caught by Rennes in seventh, while they could yet overtake Marseille in fifth if results go their way.

At the opposite end of the table, there may only be one spot left to be settled in the bottom three – Dijon and Nimes are both already down – but six teams are still very much in danger of the drop. Nantes occupy the relegation play-off spot, with Lorient, Brest and Strasbourg just a point better off, and Bordeaux and Reims only two points clear.

SERIE A

With Inter being crowned Scudetto winners for the first time in 11 years at the start of the month, the biggest storyline in Serie A regards Juventus' top-four fate. The dethroned champions, who had finished top nine years running before this season, are currently down in fifth.

Juve are one point behind Napoli and Milan in the two spots directly above them, while Atalanta are three points better off in second and have the better head-to-head record against the Bianconeri.

Andrea Pirlo's side are therefore in need of favours on the final day in what is poised to be a nail-biting finale in terms of those Champions League places. Lazio will finish sixth, so they are assured of Europa League football next term, while Roma hold a two-point advantage over Sassuolo in the Europa Conference League position.

Parma and Crotone are both down already and one of Benevento or Torino will join them, the latter currently three points outside of the relegation zone and with a game in hand to play on Benevento.

BUNDESLIGA

RB Leipzig provided Bayern Munich with some stern competition for a while, but the Bavarian giants' quality eventually told and they are Bundesliga champions for a ninth year running.

It's not only the title race that's done and dusted in Germany, in fact, as RB Leipzig are certain of second place, and both Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg will join them in the Champions League next season.

Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, will finish in fifth and sixth respectively regardless of events later this week.

However, Union Berlin have work to do if they are to finish seventh for a place in the Europa Conference League play-offs as Borussia Monchengladbach are a point further back, while Stuttgart and Freiburg are two behind with a game to go.

Seven-time German champions Schalke will be competing in the second tier of German football next season, but Cologne and Werder Bremen are hanging on in there, sitting two and one point behind Arminia Bielefeld respectively in 15th place.

Since joining the Clarets from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the transfer window, Bailey has been used sparingly in the team’s line-up and is yet to start a match.  Against Everton, however, he gave fans a hint of what could be in store for this season with a match-changing introduction.

Bailey entered the pitch in the 61^st minute and had almost an immediate impact on proceedings.  After Matty Cash’s thunderous shot put the hosts ahead in the 66^th minute, Bailey’s viciously swung corner was headed into the back of his own net by Lucas Digne.

The Jamaican then got his first goal for Villa in fine style after sprinting on from the halfway line to a long ball provided by Danny Ings and crashing his shot into the net past a stranded Everton keeper Asmir Begović.  Things, however, ended on a worrying note for Bailey who had to be substituted in the 82^nd minute after going down with an injury.  The change was later revealed to be more of a precaution.

“To have the fans chanting my name when I was going on, it was such an amazing feeling.  Words can’t even explain.  The fans were great tonight, it was perfect for me to get the goal for them tonight.  I feel welcome as a Villa player,” Bailey said following the match.

“I was just excited to get on the pitch, and I delivered, it was a perfect night,” he added.

As for the injury, the player did not think it was that serious.

“It might have been from hitting the ball, maybe I hit it too hard.  I just felt a little stiff in my quad, but I don’t think it’s anything serious.  So instead of risking it, I just decided to come out instead of risking it.  We have a lot of games coming up.”

Garnacho’s spectacular third-minute effort silenced a Goodison Park crowd keen to vent their fury at the Premier League following their 10-point deduction for breaching the league’s profitability and sustainability rules.

Marcus Rashford doubled the lead from the penalty spot and Anthony Martial sealed a comfortable win as United manager Erik ten Hag watched from the stands as he served a touchline ban.

“He’s not a great player yet but he has a great future ahead,” Fernandes said of Garnacho on Sky Sports.

“We expect a lot from him, he knows that. He knows I am always going to be behind him asking for more, but obviously it was an amazing goal.”

Asked about his remarkable goal, Garnacho said: “I can’t believe it to be honest. I didn’t see how I scored, I just listened (to the crowd) and I say ‘oh my God’.

“It’s one of the best goals I’ve scored and I’m very happy.”

Fernandes revealed he allowed Rashford to take the penalty to help the striker’s confidence, adding: “Strikers want to score goals, it gives you a boost.

“After the penalty Marcus was unstoppable. Sometimes you need this opportunity to get your confidence back.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche was unhappy with the decision to award United a penalty, with Martial having initially been booked for diving before a lengthy VAR check.

“The VAR thing this year, and I’m a big fan, it’s been all over the place,” Dyche said. “It just seems to be mayhem all the time.

“He books the lad for diving and then comes back and looks at it for three minutes to make a decision.

“It’s not just about that, but that doesn’t help of course. You’re 1-0 down to a worldie, you haven’t taken your chances, they get a penalty and it’s 2-0.

“We have to maintain the belief in what we’re doing, we are doing that. At the end of the day 10 points taken away from anyone this early in the season changes the whole view of it, but we’ve got to stick with our performance levels until the appeal process goes through.”

Julen Lopetegui is seemingly under increasing pressure at West Ham, and though the hosts created the better chances in the end, it was a largely flat performance on Saturday.

Substitute Danny Ings, who had tested Pickford in the 87th minute, thought he had won it in the 93rd with a deflected attempt, but Everton’s goalkeeper produced a fine fingertip stop.

Pickford had been beaten earlier in the second half when Crysencio Summerville struck the post, after Jesper Lindstrom had seen a header kept out by Lukasz Fabianski at the other end.

The stalemate leaves West Ham in 14th in the Premier League, two places above Everton, heading into the international break.

Data Debrief: Shot stoppers steal the show

In a game that lacked quality from either side during the contest, a draw was perhaps a fair result and can be used as a positive heading into the international break. 

While Everton registered 18 shots compared to West Ham's 11, the Toffees had to rely on Pickford on several occasions to take a point back to Goodison Park. 

Pickford made six saves for Everton, but Fabianski, at the other end, was also on form. He produced four stops as both goalkeepers played pivotal roles in earning their team a valuable point.

Peterborough United travel to Everton in the FA Cup third round on Thursday in a match that could see father and son face each other.