Everton’s impressive run of form continued as they secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Brentford, extending their unbeaten streak in the Premier League to seven games. Despite Beto’s struggles in front of goal, a late equalizer from Jake O’Brien ensured David Moyes’ side walked away with a valuable point.
Brentford took the lead in the first half through Yoane Wissa, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from the visitors. A long throw into the box was allowed to bounce, and after Bryan Mbeumo’s header struck the bar, Wissa reacted quickest to smash the rebound home from close range. It was a disappointing goal for Everton to concede, particularly given their recent defensive solidity under Moyes.
Everton had their chances to respond, most notably through Beto, who had been in red-hot form before this game. The Portuguese striker found himself through on goal three times but failed to convert on each occasion. In the 39th minute, he was gifted a golden opportunity when Ethan Pinnock’s slip left him one-on-one with Mark Flekken, but his attempted chip landed safely in the goalkeeper’s hands. Minutes later, Carlos Alcaraz played him through again, but his shot deflected off Flekken and rolled wide. Late in the game, Pinnock’s misjudged challenge diverted a pass slightly off course for Beto, allowing Flekken to make yet another save.
Brentford had chances to extend their lead, most notably when Keane Lewis-Potter was played in by a brilliant reverse pass from Mikkel Damsgaard in the 70th minute. However, he failed to find the target, a moment that would prove costly as Everton fought back.
The equalizer arrived in the 77th minute, courtesy of O’Brien. The young defender, whose introduction into the team has coincided with Everton’s recent upturn in form, rose highest to meet a pinpoint cross from Vitalii Mykolenko, guiding a superb header beyond Flekken to level the scores.
Both managers had contrasting views on the game. Brentford’s coach felt his side controlled proceedings in the second half and lamented missed opportunities. Meanwhile, Everton’s boss believed his team had been “terrific” and expressed disappointment at not taking all three points.
With this result, Everton have pulled 15 points clear of the relegation zone a remarkable turnaround given that they were just one point above the drop when Moyes took charge. As a reward for their recent form, the squad will now head to the United Arab Emirates for a warm-weather training camp, a well-earned break after weeks of battling to secure their Premier League status.
For Brentford, the result extends their wait for a home victory to over three months, though their performance showed promise. Despite their frustrations, they remain competitive, and with better finishing, they could have secured the win.
