Youssouf Mulumbu’s early goal sealed a 1-0 win for West Bromwich Albion against 10-man Everton at the Hawthorns on Saturday.The late dismissal of Diniyar Bilyaletdinov did not help the visitors’ cause as West Brom clinched their first league double over Everton since 1979.
It was also the first time the home side have kept a clean sheet in 35 English Premier League matches this season, stretching back to August 2010.
There were four changes to the West Brom line-up following an abject defeat at Wolves last weekend, but it was two mainstays that combined to create the 10th-minute breakthrough.
First Nigerian forward Peter Odemwingie struck the side-netting following a Mulumbu through-ball, before the roles were reversed.
Odemwingie took Chris Brunt’s pass to the byline and fed Mulumbu with a slide-rule ball – and the Congolese midfielder buried it from three yards out to make it 1-0 to West Brom.
West Brom goalkeeper Scott Carson produced a top-drawer save from Victor Anichebe to preserve the lead, with Tim Howard soon matching his opposite number’s heroics by tipping a Chris Brunt free-kick over the bar.
Both sides went close in the 25th minute as a header from Everton’s Johnny Heitinga glanced past the post.
Jerome Thomas then weaved past the visitors’ defence only to see fullback Tony Hibbert block his shot on the goal line.
Howard was back to his best to keep out Odemwingie’s header, with Carson again matching his counterpart by pushing another goal-bound Anichebe header to safety.
Simon Cox was inches away from making it 2-0 to West Brom – he failed to convert Odemwingie’s cross with the goal at his mercy.
The home side were forced to hold out late in the game during Bilyaletdinov’s five-minute cameo from the bench.
The Russian impressed at first, but wastefully fired over before receiving a straight red card for a studs-up tackle on James Morrison.
