Saha proves his worth to Everton

Everton 2 West Brom 0: Injury-jinxed Louis Saha reminded everyone at Goodison Park what a fine finisher he can be when he is…

Everton 2 West Brom 0:Injury-jinxed Louis Saha reminded everyone at Goodison Park what a fine finisher he can be when he is eventually able to overcome countless injuries and get onto the pitch.

The Frenchman has been out since November with a hamstring problem, but, after coming on as a second-half substitute, he produced a stunning finish on the turn from nearly 30 yards to settle the points for Everton.

Saha has now scored four in 13 appearances for the club he joined in the summer from Manchester United, and this strike was full of genuine quality.

Earlier Tim Cahill had scored his eighth goal of the season to put Everton ahead at the break and, despite a spirited fightback, Albion are left rooted at the bottom of the Barclays Premier League.

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With Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe and Jack Rodwell all added to their injury list, Everton were happy to welcome back Tony Hibbert and Tim Cahill from suspension, with Steven Pienaar and Marouane Fellaini both returning from injury.

Moyes also restricted Joleon Lescott to the bench, because if the England international had picked up a booking in this Barclays Premier League clash, he would have been suspended for the FA Cup quarter-final against Middlesbrough on March 8th.

West Brom, who last won a league game at Goodison Park in 1979, had Chris Brunt and Ryan Donk back following the defeat at Fulham last time out.

And they started brightly, winning a flurry of set-pieces. Albion then saw two chances fall to Marc-Antoine Fortune. The first found him in space on the left, but his shot that was fielded by Tim Howard.

Then Fortune got away through the middle after Fellaini lost possession, but again his drive was held by the Everton ‘keeper.

Robert Koren tried his luck from 20 yards, this time the ball flashing wide of a post.

But Everton suffered yet another injury problem soon after. Hibbert looked to have damaged a thigh early on, and after 26 minutes he was replaced by Leon Osman.

Albion, however, were still causing Everton problems, and when James Morrison fed the ball into Fortune’s path with a clear run at goal, Howard needed to produce a telling block. From the corner Morrison drove a shot into the side-netting.

But after 36 minutes all Albion’s industry went to waste when they conceded a shocking goal. Jay Simpson’s horribly misplaced pass gave Everton a throw which in turn saw Donk foul Pienaar from behind.

And when Baines’ free-kick curled into the box, three Everton men had got away from their markers, with Carson hopelessly exposed as Cahill powered in a free-header.

There was still spirit in Albion, and soon after the break Koren ran from his own half to fire just wide of a post from the edge of the box.

Then Fellaini picked up his 12th booking of the season, clattering into the back of Jonathan Greening, who had just replaced Borja Valero. Albion then sent on Luke Moore for Simpson after 57 minutes.

Moore’s first involvement was to cut in from the right and see a shot deflected wide.

But from the corner Albion thought they had scored. Donk headed on and Moore’s flick was somehow hooked off the line and into Howard’s arms by Phil Jagielka.

Everton’s response was to take off Fellaini, push Cahill back into midfield to try to stem the flow of Albion attacks, with Louis Saha sent on up front.

But the problem was still there when Brunt surged forward to flash another low drive just wide of Howard’s left-hand post.

However, after 70 minutes Saha looked to settle the issue when he took a flick from Pienaar, turned and drilled an outstanding 25-yard drive inside the far post.

Osman then tested Carson with an angled drive, with Saha’s fine goal having knocked the wind out of Albion’s sails.

Greening was booked for a foul on Pienaar with seven minutes left, before Moore hit the Everton bar from 25-yards and then dragged another effort wide.