- Lennon scores in 3rd-straight game
- Toffees led 3-0 at half time
- Two wins on spin for Toffees
Everton beat Stoke City 3-0 on Saturday at a drenched Britannia Stadium as Roberto Martinez’s side dominated from start to finish.
First half goals from Romelu Lukaku, Seamus Coleman and Aaron Lennon did the business and if it wasn’t for the heroics of Jack Butland it could have been many more.
With the win Everton leapfrog Stoke and move on to 35 points, while Stoke have now lost three-straight games.
[ REACTION: Martinez “thought about dancing” after Everton thumped Stoke ]
After a bright start from Stoke in monsoon-like conditions in Staffordshire they were behind inside the opening 11 minutes. Tom Cleverley broke into the box and as he rounded Jack Butland the Everton midfielder went down under contact and a penalty kick was awarded. Lukaku stepped up and scored his 20th goal of the season in all competitions to put the Toffees 1-0 up.
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Just before the half hour mark Everton led 2-0 with Cleverley’s corner headed home by Coleman. 2-0 to the Toffees and all eyes were on Martinez to see if he was dancing to Derulo on the sidelines.
Everton then made it 3-0 before the break as Philpp Wollscheid’s ball was intercepted by Lennon and he raced clear before slotting home his third goal in as many games.
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Stoke still looked stunned in the second half and Lukaku had a great chance to grab his second and Everton’s fourth but Butland pushed his header onto the bar and over. Great save after a brilliant cross from Ross Barkley.
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It was all Everton in the second half as Lennon turned on the style but taking the ball past three Stoke defenders, then set up Lukaku who was first denied by a block and then by Butland. Glen Johnson had a rasping left-footed shot pushed away by Robles but that was as good as it got for Stoke in the pouring rain.
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Butland then denied Arouna Kone with another good save and Ramiro Funes Mori headed wide soon after as Stoke escaped with a smidgen of self respect after they took a battering at the hands of Everton.