Gosling sizzles as Everton cook Boro’s goose

EVERTON boss David Moyes singled out 18-year-old debutant Dan Gosling for special praise as his injury-ravaged side secured their seventh away win of the season at the Riverside Stadium.

Former Plymouth striker Gosling seized his big chance in style and ought to have added to the only goal of the game — Tim Cahill’s toe-poked 50th minute strike which proved enough to heap more woe upon Gareth Southgate’s Boro.

Moyes said: “Dan was terrific and on another day he might have got himself a couple of goals. It is a big step coming into a Premier League side pushing for Europe so he deserves a pat on the back.”

Moyes was also full of praise for the “mucking-in” mentality of his squad as they made light of another week without a recognised centre-forward with Cahill and Marouane Fellaini leading the line well.

Moyes added: “The boys are doing unbelievably with no strikers and with Tim and Fellaini working together sometimes up front and sometimes in the middle. They really caused a lot of problems today.

“If we get Victor (Anichebe) and Louis (Saha) back that’ll be a start and if we get a couple of additions that will give ourselves a powerful strong squad for the rest of the season.”

Everton host Sunderland tomorrow and Moyes said: “Home form has let us down at times but I think we’ve started doing better. It’s taken us a while to get settled but I think we’re beginning to look more like ourselves from last year.”

Beleaguered Boro boss Southgate admitted his side looked woefully short on confidence but said he would not shy away from the challenge of turning their ailing season around.

Boro are away to Manchester United on Monday (8pm).

Southgate said: “I only know one way of working in my life and in my seven years here and that is to take on every challenge and that’s the kind of determination we need – there’s no easy way out.

“The focus will come on us now and we’ll have a lot to deal with over the next few weeks but I’ve got to take the pressure from the players.”

Southgate admitted his players might suffer from a confidence issue after their dismal defeat at Fulham last week and with Everton buoyant on their travels this term.

He added: “When you’re on a run like ours you can overlook the problems other clubs have got. Everton have no fit strikers but they came here with the mentality to fight and dig in and come through it. That’s the mentality we have to develop.”

MIDDLESBROUGH: Turnbull, McMahon, Riggott, Pogatetz, Taylor, Aliadiere (Johnson 70), O’Neil (Emnes 85), Arca, Downing, Sanli (Alves 54), Mido.

EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Arteta, Neville, Fellaini, Pienaar, Gosling, Cahill.

Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).