Abdoulaye Doucoure’s goal salvaged Everton from relegation with a crucial 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Sunday.

His thunderous strike from 20 yards out, a surprise bolt out of the blue, proved to be the decisive blow that secured the club’s uninterrupted 70-season stint in the top-flight. However, there were several moments throughout the match when this proud record seemed uncertain.

Doucoure’s 10th goal for Everton symbolized an extraordinary transformation over a span of just four months for the talented midfielder from Mali. His journey took an unexpected turn when he found himself training alone in January following a fallout with former manager Frank Lampard.

In a remarkable turn of events five days after securing a contract extension and with less than 30 minutes remaining in the match, Doucoure delivered a performance that would forever be etched in the history of the club. His contribution was invaluable, and the gratitude from the club will remain immeasurable.

However, the team’s salvation was not without its tense moments. It took a vital from Conor Coady beneath his own crossbar and impressive save in the depths of the added 10 minutes from Jordan Pickford to ensure their safety. Initially, it appeared that the Cheries’ second-choice goalkeeper, Mark Travers, would play a pivotal role in condemning the Toffees to relegation.

At the start of this momentous day, the home side found themseleves two points adrift of the dreaded relegation zone. With Leicester City securing a victory against West Ham, Everton was teetering on the brink of only their third relegation in their 145-year history, the first since 1951.

Memories of their previous three-year absence from the top flight haunted them, and the nightmare scenario was that their potential absence this time around would be no different, based on recent season’s performances.

Everton has found themselevs in the precarious position of a last-day chance scenario twice before, in 1994 and 1998. However, during those occasions, their destiny was not within their control.

In 1994, they staged a remarkable comeback from a 2-0 deficit to secure a crucial 3-2 victory over Wimbledon. Fortunately for them, their rivals Ipswich, Sheffield United, and Southampton fared worse, ensuring their survival.

Four years later, they again relied on favorable results, this time bettering Bolton’s outcome at Chelsea to retain their Premier League status.

Yet, the stakes felt even higher on this particular occasion. With plans underway to unveil a new 52,000-capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in time for the 2024-25 season, this potentially marked the last Premier League match at the iconic Goodison Park.

However, Everton’s struggles are far from over. The club has endured substantial losses of over 430 million pounds in the past four years and faces an outstanding Premier League charge for breaching profit and sustainability regulations.

Nonetheless, for the time being, survival and the accompanying relief are paramount for the club.

Sean Dyche was compelled to implement a back three formation fro the first time during his tenure due to the absence of available full-backs. This adjustment allowed for the utilization of recognized center-backs such as Yerry Mina, Conor Coady, and James Tarkowski.

However, the players positioned on the flanks, James Garner and Dwight McNeil, faced difficulties. While Garner managed reasonably well on the left side, McNeil, who is more accustomed to an attacking role, struggled to cope with the defensive responsibilities against David Brooks.

In the forward line, winger Demarai Gray encountered challenges adapting to his central role. Unable to effectively hold up the ball, he resorted to attempting to win cheap free-kicks, but referee Stuart Atwell saw through this tactic on a regular basis.

Gray, who had an early attempt that narrowly missed the target, also found it challenging to position himself properly as evidenced when Doucoure deliverd a cross into the six-yard area. Gray was positioned 10 yards too deep, anticipating a cutback on the edge of the box.

Mark Traves, deputizing for Neto due to personal reasons, showcased his skills by tipping Idrissa Gana Gueye’s powerful strike over the crossbar. He also parried another long-range effort from Gueye and made an impressive save to deny James Garner’s looping shot just before halftime.

Everton had experienced a dip in performance around the half-hour mark in recent home games, allowing opponents to gain the upper hand. However, on this occasion, the news of unfavorable results from the King Power Stadium took some of the pressure off the home team.

Bournemouth appeared to be patiently waiting for their opportunity, and Marcos Senesi missed a chance by stabbing wide from a corner. Yerry Mina then made a crucial intervention to deny Dominic Solanke after David Brooks had dispossessed Tarkowski.

Everton’s fortunes seemed bleak as Gray’s weak header from close range was saved by Travers six minutes into the second half. However, everything changed when Doucoure unleashed a powerful shot into the net after a poorly cleared header fell to him.

Crucial interventions from on-loan Wolves and former Liverpool defender Conor Coady, followed by a vital save from Jordan Pickford against Matias Vina, ensured Everton scraped through to victory.

The narrow win sparked celebrations among the fans, leading to the inevitable pitch invasion. Avoiding relegation for the second consecutive season was a tremendous relief for the club and its supporters.