LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Everton beat Wolverhampton 1-0 in the Premier League on Wednesday to end a five-game winless run at home and keep its slim hopes of European qualification alive.
Richarlison’s 48th-minute header proved the winner and gave 6,500 returning fans something to cheer about at Goodison Park.
Coupled with Tottenham’s home loss to Aston Villa, the win keeps Everton in the mix for Europa League qualification, although a far inferior goal difference and a final-day trip to Manchester City still leaves Carlo Ancelotti's team as the outsider.
Everton began the night with only five home wins all season, two of those coming in December when 2,000 fans were allowed in for back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Chelsea. The returning supporters helped the team complete a first league double over Wolves in 45 years.
They did it despite the absence of James Rodriguez, who is yet to play in front of a Goodison crowd as he was absent due to what manager Carlo Ancelotti said was fatigue.
Richarlison made the breakthrough at a corner, rising above Willy Boly to head in Gylfi Sigurdsson’s out-swinging delivery.
Everton’s best chances for a second came through Sigurdsson, who twice went close from the edge of the area, bending one shot agonizingly wide from the edge of the area before another was deflected wide.
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