Rooney gives Pompey sinking feeling

Everton 1 Portsmouth 0

Wayne Rooney has certainly done his bit to drag his beloved Everton away from the relegation dogfight.

The England striker’s goal with 13 minutes left gives Everton an eight-point cushion from the bottom three, and that should surely be enough to allow boss David Moyes – celebrating his second anniversary this weekend as Everton chief - to sleep easier.

Portsmouth, without an away league win all season, had spells when they could have taken control of the game, but it is now seven league matches without a victory for Harry Redknapp’s increasingly desperate side.