Everton’s Premier League survival hopes took a huge hit after they lost 3-2 at home to Brentford on Sunday evening.
The Merseyside club had won two and drawn one of their last three matches and knew a win could have all but guaranteed them a place in next season’s Premier League.
With this in mind, they got off the blocks first and could have gotten a fourth-minute opener when Richarlison pounced on a rebound inside the six-yard box but headed his chance wide of the right post.
The Toffees however got the breakthrough in the 10th minute as Dominic Calvert-Lewin won the ball inside the box from a free-kick and fired a superb strike into the bottom left corner.
Everton’s joy was however short-lived as they were reduced to 10 men in the 18th minute when Jarrad Branthwaite reacted stupidly and the referee showed him a deserved red card.
With the numerical advantage, the visitors grew into the match and pushed for an equaliser, which finally arrived, albeit through an own goal.
Seamus Coleman attempted to head the ball away after a cross into the penalty area, but instead he accidentally sent it inside the left post of his own goal.
The hosts got the chance to score a second just before half-time when Bech Sorensen committed a foul inside the box, leaving Michael Oliver no option but to blow his whistle for a penalty.
Richarlison stepped up to fire a perfect penalty into the top right-hand corner, giving goalkeeper David Raya no chance.
Everton were then stunned just after the hour mark as the visitors scored two goals in two minutes to turn the match on its head.
First, Yoane Wissa jumped highest and coolly planted a bullet header into the roof of the net from a Christian Eriksen corner, before Rico Henry scored from quite a difficult position as he leapt high to connect with a cross and powered his header inside the right post.
Despite Everton trying their best to find the equaliser, Brentford held on for the win, leaving Frank Lampard’s team stuck deep in the bottom half.
To make it even worse for the Toffees, Salomon Rondon was shown a straight red card with two minutes to go for a serious foul.
With two matches to play, the Merseyside club have a chance of avoiding relegation but will have to win their remaining two games, or match results of their closest rivals.
