Jack Grealish fires Everton to victory as Bournemouth slump continues

Jack Grealish’s late second-half goal was enough to lead Everton to a third win in four Premier League games as the Toffees beat stuttering Bournemouth 1-0.

Grealish’s deflected 78th-minute strike, his second in Everton colours, fired David Moyes’ side to their first victory at the Vitality Stadium since 2016.

Bournemouth, who had taken only one point from their previous four games, named their youngest ever Premier League team.

Everton boss Moyes made just one change from Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at home to Newcastle as midfielder Carlos Alcaraz replaced centre-back Michael Keane.

The most exciting moment in the first 20 minutes came when Grealish and Bournemouth full-back Alex Jimenez, making a rare start, got into a verbal spat by the corner flag.

Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam’s wayward 20-yard shot skied over the crossbar summed up the lack of quality on display.

The first time either goalkeeper was called into action was when Jordan Pickford parried away Bournemouth captain Antoine Semenyo’s toe-poke from 12 yards after a superb Amine Adli pass.

The incident did spark a VAR check for a potential handball against Everton defender Jake O’Brien, but common sense prevailed and the decision was no penalty.

Everton almost took the lead three minutes before half-time when Alex Scott headed James Garner’s dangerous in-swinging corner off the top of his own crossbar.

Home goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic then had to take evasive action to punch Garner’s follow-up corner away from the goal line.

Bournemouth did have the ball in the net in first-half stoppage time when Eli Junior Kroupi tucked home at the near post but was clearly in an offside position when he latched on to Adli’s flick from Jimenez’s low cross.

Petrovic denied