Seamus Coleman’s stoppage-time own goal condemned Everton to a bruising 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth as they equalled their worst Premier League run of 12 games without a win.
Beto’s 87th-minute equaliser to cancel out Dominic Solanke’s opener looked set to earn Sean Dyche’s side a valuable point, but Coleman’s late intervention left them empty-handed.
This is a crunch time for Everton both on and off the pitch. Their majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri said ahead of the game he remained confident the protracted takeover of the club by 777 Partners would be completed soon and herald a brighter future.
The club are also due to find out the verdict of a second charge of breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, with a further points deduction a possibility before the end of the season in addition to the six they have already lost.
The omens coming to Bournemouth were not positive for Dyche’s side. The Cherries had never lost at home to Everton in the Premier League and the visitors came into the match without a win in 2024.
Next up for the Toffees is a trip to Newcastle followed by a relegation clash against Burnley at Goodison Park.
On Saturday Bournemouth made the early running in the spring sunshine and Antoine Semenyo hit a fierce shot at Jordan Pickford before Lewis Cook blasted the rebound over.
Slowly Everton began to grow into the game and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, without a goal since October, saw an early effort blocked by Chris Mepham.
Everton were gradually becoming a little bolder and Calvert-Lewin had their best chance when the ball fell to him off James Tarkowski’s heel, but he could not generate the required power and Neto pushed the ball to safety.
With the half drawing to a close, Bournemouth re-exerted themselves and Semenyo struck the base of a post as he seized on a loose ball after Jarrad Branthwaite had got caught up with Tyler Adams.
The home side subsequently appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty, with Dyche and opposite number Andoni Iraola becoming tetchy in the dugouts.
The pace of the game increased after the break and Dwight McNeil struck the near post as he attempted a cross, with Bournemouth’s defenders relieved to see the loose ball go wide after it deflected off Mepham.
Then Bournemouth struck as Solanke got between Tarkowski and Ben Godfrey to head in Lloyd Kelly’s cross, taking his tally to 16 for the season.
Everton looked to have claimed an unlikely point when Neto dropped McNeil’s cross right at the feet of Beto, who rolled the ball home from close range to leave Dyche punching the air in the dugout.
But, in a final twist, Adam’s Smith deep cross bounced up and hit Coleman on the chest before dropping agonisingly into the net.
