Everton cruised to an emphatic 3-0 victory over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday to consolidate their flying start to the new Premier League season.
This third league win of the season, courtesy of goals from Victor Anichebe, Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini, ensured a return of 10 points from five matches, with only the two Manchester clubs having picked up more points than Everton in 2012.
And had it not been for some wasteful finishing in the final third and some excellent goalkeeping from Michel Vorm, Everton would have racked up a cricket score.
Everton came flying out of the blocks.
Anichebe, in for the the injured Nikica Jelavic, forced two fine saves from Vorm early on and the Dutch keeper also did well to deny a Mirallas shot.
But after Swans captain Ashley Williams was fortunate to only see Yellow for hauling down Anichebe, who was through on goal, they were not so lucky in the 21st minute as the Nigerian opened the scoring.
Marouane Fellaini controlled a Baines free-kick on his chest before appearing to handle the ball into Anichebe’s path — and he made no mistake from close in. Swansea upped their game, but Everton doubled their lead just before the break.
Steven Pienaar motored down the right and centred. Mirallas fired against the crossbar, the ball bounced on the line and the Belgian ace reacted quickest to head it home.
Incredibly, the Swans should have been level at the break after Angel Rangel missed two sitters in first-half stoppage time.
After the interval, Everton re-gathered following their lucky let-off. Mirallas hit the bar with an 18-yard piledriver and Toffees keeper Tim Howard made a stunning stop to push away Ki Sung-Yueng’s shot.
Fellaini was rewarded for a fantastic display with the third goal on 82 minutes.
Having missed a sitter from just four yards out, then seeing a header cleared off the line by Leon Britton, he nodded home from Baines’ free-kick.
FT: Swansea 0-3 Everton