“Overall, to score six goals, and we could have scored more, was outstanding”.
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Deulofeu opened the scoring and provided two assists before being withdrawn to a standing ovation just past the hour while Kone remained to take the plaudits and the match ball at the final whistle after taking his tally to five goals in six league starts.
Sunderland looked on the up coming back in the second half too, and only 5 minutes after the restart, Steven Fletcher restored parity for Sam Allardyce’s side.
The Ivory Coast global netted a hat trick in a thrilling 6-2 victory over Sam Allardyce’s side at Goodison Park as the home side bounced back from defeats to Arsenal and Manchester United.
In the same attack Defoe was denied by the legs of Tim Howard, Adam Johnson hit the post and Fletcher’s rebound was blocked by Seamus Coleman and that provided the wake-up call the hosts needed.
Does Kone deserve a new contract? “There are great moments to sit back a little bit as a player, and everyone who has the privilege to represent Everton at this time has a unique source of inspiration”.
His hat-trick came with a simple header after he gave Coates and Jones the slip to reach Lukaku’s impudent cross delivered with the outside of his left boot.
Kone netted a late Everton equaliser on opening day against Watford and Martinez sees that as the real turning point for the Ivorian forward whose talent has been doubted at times.
Deulofeu also set up the fourth for Lukaku, with the Belgian rounding goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon to score.
“I had the privilege of working with him previously so I was an in an advantageous position and knew exactly what he could do”, said Martinez.
Everton have not kept a clean sheet for more than a month and will be without captain Phil Jagielka until Christmas because of a knee injury.
The results: EPL: Sunday: Everton 6 (Deulofeu 19, Kone 31, 62 & 76, Coates 55-og, Lukaku 60) bt Sunderland 2 (Defoe 45+4, Fletcher 50); Southampton 2 (Davis 31, Pelle 36) bt Bournemouth 0. We had good ball possession and if you watch the two goals it is all about a high quality of football. “But it has been as hard as you can get”.
It surprised me because, when the team was announced, I thought he would stick with a back four despite being without his centre-halves from last week’s 3-0 win over Newcastle because Younes Kaboul and John O’Shea were both injured. “We should have made sure we secured a point”.
Sunderland will be hoping to take the confidence gained from another Tyne-Wear derby success into their trip to Goodison Park, where they have got the better of Everton in each of the last two seasons. “A few of the balls into our box should have been easily dealt with”.
But we have not to overshadow the fact that we have got to start playing better.
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“Jack is a particularly interesting case for me because I want to see the lad who played in the Premier League when he was 16, 17 and 18, which is hugely unusual”.
