Evertons season - and future - was saved by Sean Dyches own brand of creativity

For about 40 minutes, including the half-time break, an era that dated back to the time Winston Churchill was Prime Minister was ending. As it stood, Evertons 69-year stay in the top flight was entering its final throes. A first relegation since 1951 beckoned.

This threatened to be a historic ignominy. Instead, it produced a place in Goodison Park folklore for Abdoulaye Doucoure; given the concerns about Evertons finances and the question if the club could continue as a going concern without Premier League revenues, the midfielder might not have just been their savour in a footballing sense.

But a rescuer he was. There were fireworks outside Goodison; those inside came from Doucoures right boot. A bearpit so often as Everton beat the drop last season, their rickety home was subdued, anxious, expecting the worst as Leicester led and they did not. Then it erupted.

Because then Adam Smith headed out of the Bournemouth box. The ball sat up obligingly but Doucoure connected beautifully, hammering in a half volley from 20 yards. Mark Travers was motionless. Everton extended his contract this week; Doucoure repaid that, his 20 million transfer fee and much more with a swing of his right foot.