Distin agrees Everton deal

Everton have agreed a deal to sign defender Sylvain Distin from Portsmouth. Everton are armed with funds after selling Joleon Lescott to Manchester City for £22 million, and Distin will be effectively a like-for-like replacement. The fee involved has not been disclosed, but 31-year-old Distin has agreed a three-year contract and will sign - providing he passes his medical.

Everton chief executive Robert Elstone said: "After Sylvain made it clear his preferred destination was Goodison, the chairman [Bill Kenwright] moved quickly to finalise the deal - and Sylvain is now on his way to Merseyside to undergo a medical."

Fulham 0 - 2 Everton

Two goals from Leon Osman could not destroy the mood as Roy Hodgson clinched seventh place and hailed it one of the proudest moments in a 33-year coaching career.

Tears may have flowed on the Tyne and the Tees but it was champagne all round on the banks of the Thames as Fulham qualified for the Europa League despite Everton’s first win at Craven Cottage since 1966.

Tottenham’s defeat at Liverpool confirmed Fulham’s highest ever top-flight finish, not to mention the small matter of £10.64million in prize-money.

‘This rates very highly for me,’ confessed Hodgson, who has won titles in Sweden and Denmark, reached the UEFA Cup final with Inter Milan and led Switzerland to Euro 96.

‘I’ve had a long career and been very lucky. I’ve had quite a few honours come my way. I can look back on many years with pride but I will remember this as one of my very best.

The game drifted occasionally into the realms of a pre-season kickabout and the biggest surprise was that Phil Neville and Steven Pienaar had managed to pick up niggles which will have to be carefully monitored as the week unfolds.

Louis Saha, however, is one player who has discovered full form and fitness in time for Wembley and a summer holiday. He climbed above Aaron Hughes to plant an excellent header against the bar in the third minute and forced a superb fingertip save from Mark Schwarzer in the second half.

But it was Osman who displayed the killer instinct, striking in the closing minutes of each half.

His first was a fine example of Everton’s perpetual movement, with the brilliant Pienaar jinking in from the left and threading a neat pass through Fulham’s back four. Osman darted in from the right, taking care not to stray offside, took the ball in his stride, side-stepped Schwarzer and rolled it into the empty net.

Hodgson’s team enjoyed good spells of possession but rarely looked like pulling level. Bobby Zamora came off the bench to squander two clear chances with trademark inaccuracy and Tony Hibbert cleared off the line from Clint Dempsey in stoppage time.

Osman had already scored his second, two minutes from time, with a beautiful curling left-footer beyond Schwarzer’s dive. It was not enough to spoil the party at Craven Cottage.

‘We’re all going on a European tour,’ sang the home fans, although it will be interesting to see how many of them will be turning up for a tedious group game on a rainy Thursday in November.

Fulham’s only other European campaign, in 2002-03, started in the InterToto Cup on July 6 against FC Haka and consisted of 14 games before they went out to Hertha Berlin in the UEFA Cup third round.

This year, Hodgson has ordered his players back for training on July 1. He will turn his attention to ‘bolstering’ his squad and keeping defender Brede Hangeland from the clutches of Arsenal.

‘We will do everything in our power to keep him,’ said the Fulham boss. ‘But our power sometimes can’t be compared to the power of other clubs.’

Everton 3-1 West Ham

Louis Saha had a match to remember on the day his former club Manchester United secured the Barclays Premier League title.

The Frenchman scored a brace in a comfortable victory against 10-man West Ham at Goodison Park.

With Jo ineligible for the FA Cup final in two weeks, it was the ideal moment for Saha to stake a claim for a place at Wembley where they face Chelsea.

West Ham made the ideal start and Radoslav Kovac gave them the lead before Saha equalised with a penalty after Tim Cahill had been tripped by James Tomkins.

That resulted in Tomkins being sent off and the visitors imploded. Joseph Yobo put Everton ahead and Saha added a second.

Everton had the majority of possession in the first half only to find themselves chasing the game.

Everton’s Louis Saha scores his sides first goal of the game from the penalty spot

Saha dragged a shot wide of the post from the edge of the area after nine minutes having been set up by Steven Pienaar.

Then Pienaar strode forward and unleashed a powerful effort from 25 yards that went narrowly over the bar.

Leon Osman should have given Everton the lead in the 13th minute but screwed his shot wide of the post after Marouane Fellaini had flicked on a cross from Lars Jacobsen.

Everton’s Joseph Yobo (right) celebrates scoring his
sides second goal of the match with teammate Marouane Fellaini (left)

West Ham responded and Kovac split the defence to release Diego Tristan. He seemed surprised at the chance and goalkeeper Tim Howard was able to mop up.

Osman tested Robert Green with a delicate chip in the 19th minute before West Ham took the lead with a goal out of nothing in the 24th minute. Kovac delivered a stunning effort from distance that flew into the corner beyond Howard.

Czech Republic midfielder Kovac celebrated in style as it was his first goal for West Ham after arriving on loan from Spartak Moscow.

Gianfranco Zola's side were growing in confidence and Tristan clipped a shot wide of the post in the 28th minute.

However, the game took a dramatic turn in the 38th minute when West Ham were reduced to 10 men.

Tomkins tripped Cahill as he burst into the penalty area and was sent off.

West Ham were outraged but Saha kept cool. He stepped up and sent Green the wrong way with his spot-kick to take his tally for the season to six goals.

Everton took the lead in the 48th minute after some sloppy defending by the visitors.

Yobo was left unmarked at the back post as Pienaar swung in the corner and rifled a shot into the net, the ball taking a slight deflection off Matthew Upson.

Everton almost increased their lead two minutes later. Saha got on the end of Osman's cross but his header clipped substitute Jonathan Spector and came back off the post.

Then Saha skipped away from Lucas Neill in the 62nd minute, only to see his shot go wide of the post.

However West Ham suddenly launched two swift counter-attacks with Howard doing well to thwart Luis Boa Morte, then substitute Carlton Cole failed to get a decent touch in a good position.

Everton extended their lead in the 76th minute with Saha's second goal of the game. He scored from close range following a cross from Pienaar, who had shown good skill to skip to the byline.

Saha should have completed his hat-trick two minutes later but Green blocked his effort after he had been released by Cahill.

The Frenchman was then given a standing ovation when he was replaced by James Vaughan in the 79th minute as Everton rounded off their home games with a comfortable victory before going on a lap of honour.

Everton 0-0 Tottenham

FA Cup finalists Everton missed the chance to leapfrog Aston Villa back into fifth place in the Barclays Premier League.

The only consolation was their Wembley-bound side avoided any more of the damaging injuries that have dogged their season and - in the case of Phil Jagielka - robbed a star man of a cup final date.

Spurs needed the win to keep themselves in the hunt for seventh spot and European qualification, and will reflect on their first-half domination and know they too wasted a golden opportunity.

Everton brought teenager Jack Rodwell into midfield for only his eighth start of the season, their only change from the side that won so convincingly at Sunderland last time out.

Lars Jacobsen dropped to the bench and Leon Osman, recovering from an ankle injury, was only risked on the bench.

Spurs made four changes from the side that beat West Brom last weekend, with Alan Hutton, Gareth Bale and Tom Huddlestone returning. Jermain Defoe was back in the starting line-up.

Everton, with European qualification already certain, have little more than pride to play for at this stage. For Spurs, it is altogether more important.

Seventh place will get them into Europe as well, and their desire was evident from the start.

Luka Modric showed pace and invention, and dominated midfield. He was almost put clear early on from a Jermaine Jenas pass, Joleon Lescott snuffing that one out, before Modric's pass sent Defoe scampering away only to be halted by Joseph Yobo.

Everton struggled to get their game going. But, with the rain lashing down, they were encouraged by goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes' poor handling.

Lescott was booked for bringing down Hutton and Steven Pienaar was cautioned for encroaching at the twice-taken free-kick. Bale put both efforts over the bar.

Spurs continued to probe for the breakthrough and only a timely tackle from Lescott took the pace out of a Robbie Keane drive.

But youngsters Dan Gosling and Rodwell in midfield were struggling to pick up the runs and position of Modric, with Spurs continuing to look the more likely to create decent chances.

However, Modric's involvement was slowed considerably by two fierce challenges in as many minutes, one in particular from Tim Cahill left the Croatian limping for some time.

Everton eventually made some inroads. Jonathan Woodgate did well to block a Jo effort after the Brazilian had gone round Gomes, and then Marouane Fellaini dragged an effort wide from Leighton Baines' pass before Rodwell curled a fine effort over the angle from 20 yards.

Hutton was booked for his reaction to a Rodwell tackle, kicking out at the 18-year-old.

Everton were at last showing more urgency and Cahill saw a 25-yarder flash inches wide. Then Gomes dropped a Baines cross and Jo almost made him pay.

Yobo had a couple of efforts blocked, Cahill's header troubled Gomes and then Gosling hit a post after 67 minutes with a bouncing effort from the edge of the box.

That was Gosling's last involvement as he was replaced a minute later by Osman, with Louis Saha coming on for Jo.

Defoe then went close with a shot on the turn that flashed inches wide, Spurs increasingly threatening on the break.

Everton kept coming forward but Woodgate and Ledley King were in outstanding form at the back.

Spurs sent on Roman Pavlyuchenko for Modric with 10 minutes left, their eyes also on a late breakthrough.

The Russian had enough time to be booked, referee Lee Mason pointing out three offences by the striker in quick succession, but not to change the outcome.

Portsmouth 2 - 1 Everton

Leighton Baines fires Everton's opener at Pompey

Double joy for Crouch as Fratton goes frantic over relegation relief

Staying in the Premier League clearly matters more than dreams of the Champions League.

There is no other way to explain the limp Everton performance in the second half of this game which allowed Portsmouth to take charge and come from behind to earn a vital victory when Peter Crouch headed his second goal with 15 minutes remaining.

The visitors, beaten only by Manchester United in their previous 18 games, had seemed set fair for a win and a tilt at the top four when Leighton Baines scored a fourth-minute free-kick.

But a poor decision by referee Peter Walton to award Portsmouth a corner, almost the only favour he did the home team all afternoon, led to Crouch's equaliser midway through the first half and Paul Hart's team never looked back.

For all Everton's failings, this was a very impressive display by the home side, who would have slipped into the bottom three if they had lost.

Hart said: 'The players have proved how much desire they have to stay in this league. We were all over the place in the first five minutes, but credit to the lads, they got it together, steadied themselves and started to play.

'Everton's recent record shows the magnitude of our performance. I thought we were excellent.'

That was pushing it a bit, as was Hart's assertion that centre halves Sylvain Distin and Sol Campbell were 'magnificent'.

In truth, both looked a shadow of the players who anchored last season's FA Cup win and after a nervy first half were let off the hook by Jo and Louis Saha, whose performance must have had the visiting fans yearning for the weeks when they did not have any fit strikers.

Everton manager David Moyes rightly felt that his team failed to capitalise on the early lead given to them by Baines.

Distin was harshly judged to have fouled Saha on the edge of the area and Baines curled the free-kick not so much over the wall as past it, sending the ball in off David James's left-hand post.

Rise and shine: Peter Crouch (centre) rises highest to score the winning goal

The Portsmouth crowd, who had questioned Walton's ability to referee, had cause to soften their stance in the 22nd minute. He decided right back Glen Johnson's shot with his swinger of a left foot could only have gone so far wide with the aid of a deflection.

The initial corner was cleared but Niko Kranjcar clipped the ball back into the area, Johnson nodded it across goal and Crouch headed firmly into the corner of the net from close range.

'It wasn't a corner,' said Moyes. When it was suggested that you still have to defend set-pieces better, however they come about, the Everton boss agreed, but added: 'You don't have to if they are not given.'

It was an uncharacteristically meek response from the usually spiky Scot and his team's second-half display was just as insipid.

Moyes said: 'I always felt we were lacking that little bit of spirit and punch throughout the game.'

He was at a loss to explain why, but you suspect he had a little bit more to say to his players afterwards.

Portsmouth 2 Everton 1

Doing it for kicks: Hermann Hreidarsson and Joleon Lescott battle for the ball

Portsmouth, driven on by man-of-the-match Sean Davis, threatened to score only once, when Tim Howard saved from David Nugent, until Younes Kaboul forced a corner. Davis swung the ball to the back post and Crouch was there again to head home.

Davis later hit the post with a superb drive, but victory was never in doubt once Crouch claimed his third goal in two games and his 50th in the Premier League, a competition in which Portsmouth can now be much more confident of featuring next season.

PORTSMOUTH (4-4-1-1): James; Kaboul, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson; Johnson, Mullins, Davis, Nugent (Kanu 74min); Kranjcar; Crouch.
Subs (not used): Begovic, Pamarot, Utaka, Hughes, Basinas, Belhadj.
Booked: Hreidarsson, Kaboul.

EVERTON (4-1-3-2): Howard; Jacobsen (Gosling 86), Jagielka, Lescott, Baines; P Neville; Osman, Fellani, Pienaar; Saha, Jo (Rodwell 90).
Subs (not used): Nash, Castillo, Agard, Baxter, Wallace.
Booked: Osman.
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).

Arteta loss piles on Everton agony

The Everton manager David Moyes’ attempt to close in on the top five in the Premier League suffered another blow yesterday when the midfielder Mikel Arteta was ruled out for the rest of the season. The Spaniard ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee in the goalless draw at Newcastle on Sunday and will be out for several months.

Arteta, who will undergo surgery in Barcelona next week, is Everton’s main creative outlet and his absence, the latest in a string of injuries, puts more strain on the squad. Moyes harbours hopes of catching Arsenal, currently one place above Everton in fifth, but with Arteta out and the striker Louis Saha and midfielder Marouane Fellaini not fully fit the manager has some patching up to do if he is to achieve that.

He will be hoping Victor Anichebe will not be sidelined for long, if at all, after he was on the receiving end of a horror tackle from Kevin Nolan . The Newcastle midfielder was sent off for the challenge, which the 20-year-old thought had broken his leg.

"I’ve never felt as much pain in my life. I thought I’d broken my leg," he said. "I couldn’t even look down, to be fair. It was a terrible tackle but I don’t think he really meant it, he came and said sorry. But what can you do?

"I felt so much pain. Now it’s not too bad. It’s not as bad as I first thought any way, but I’m feeling a bit of pain in my knee and the back of my calf and down my shin so we’ll see how it is."

The Nigeria striker added: "I’ve always thought to myself I’ll never get injured for a long period of time. When it happened I thought, ‘That’s me, that’s my time.’ But luckily I’ve got strong legs – if that was anyone else, their leg would have snapped in two. Hopefully, everything is all right."

Arteta out for season

Everton manager David Moyes' bid to close in on the top five in the Barclays Premier League suffered another blow when midfielder Mikel Arteta was ruled out for the rest of the season.

The Spaniard ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee in the goalless draw at Newcastle on Sunday and will be out for several months.

Arteta is Everton's main creative outlet and his absence, the latest in a string of injuries to befall the squad, puts more strain on a squad already struggling to cope.

Moyes harbours hopes of catching Arsenal, currently one place above Everton in fifth - four points above the Toffees - but with Arteta out and striker Louis Saha and midfielder Marouane Fellaini not fully fit the manager has some patching up to do if he is to achieve that.

He will be hoping Victor Anichebe will not be sidelined for long, if at all, after he was on the receiving end of a horror tackle from Kevin Nolan on Sunday.

The Newcastle midfielder was sent off for the challenge, which the 20-year-old thought had broken his leg.

"I've never felt as much pain in my life. I thought I'd broken my leg," he told evertonTV. "I couldn't even look down, to be fair. It was a terrible tackle but I don't think he really meant it, he came and said sorry. But what can you do?

"I felt so much pain. Now it's not too bad. It's not as bad as I first thought any way, but I'm feeling a bit of pain in my knee and the back of my calf and down my shin so we'll see how it is."

The Nigeria striker added: "I've always thought to myself I'll never get injured for a long period of time.

"When it happened I thought, that's me, that's my time, but luckily I've got strong legs - if that was anyone else, their leg would have snapped in two. I suppose I'm lucky to come out not as bad. Hopefully everything is all right."