Idrissa Gueye's goal sinks Brentford and guarantees Everton's safety | first division

The celebrations were not as euphoric as the derby but Brentford However, it marked another momentous step for Everton. Despite two separate point deductions totaling eight points, doubts over their financial future and ownership, Everton have secured top-flight status for the 71st consecutive year.

Idrissa Gana Gueye's goal was enough to achieve the fourth consecutive game first division win here and complete a magnificent achievement for Sean Dyche.

Everton enjoyed staying awake in relative comfort. Their last two relegation fights have reached the last week. However, thanks to a magnificent reaction to the 6-0 defeat to Chelsea a fortnight ago, plus the fight and organization that Dyche has instilled in his players, Everton They have completed the task with three games remaining. “We will not move,” she echoed defiantly after the final whistle and rightly so.

Luton's defeat to Wolves was welcomed by both teams at the start of the afternoon. The result at Molineux guaranteed Brentford's safety and Everton knew it would also secure their top-flight status. The occasion was not up to the prize at stake.

Dyche had asked Everton to put aside the emotion of Wednesday's victory over Liverpool but to press forward with the same intensity and quality that gave them a momentous derby victory. However, a drop in performance and atmosphere was always likely, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin's absence dealt a blow to Goodison's hopes of a repeat. The Everton center forward was absent due to illness and a slight knee problem. With Beto also absent as he recovers from a head injury, Dyche handed 19-year-old Youssef Chermiti his first Premier League start in attack.

The Portugal under-21 international, signed from Sporting last summer, was a fraction away from giving Everton an early lead when he failed to connect with Dwight McNeil's shot that crossed the goal. Otherwise, the teenager was easily contained by the much more experienced and physical defensive duo of Nathan Collins and Ethan Pinnock.

It was a flat first half, with both teams lacking urgency, threat and precision. Vitaly Janelt created a decent chance for Mathias Jensen after reaching the byline, but the Brentford midfielder's placed shot was blocked by Jarrad Branthwaite.

Collins did the same at the other end, getting in the way of a Jack Harrison drive after a rare incisive move in the Brentford area by the on-loan winger and McNeil. Chermiti created a good opportunity for Abdoulaye Doucouré on the stroke of half-time, but after a good movement by the striker, the midfielder cut badly when he was well positioned.

There were more incidents in the first eight minutes of the second half than in the entire first half. Ivan Toney had a great chance to break the deadlock, his first of the match, when Yoane Wissa released Jensen into space on the right and the midfielder swept in an inviting cross behind Ben Godfrey.

Toney connected cleanly at the back post, but Jordan Pickford blocked superbly from close range before pounced on the loose ball. Moments later, McNeil assessed Mark Flekken's goal from 25 yards and unleashed a fierce shot that hit the crossbar.

Gueye had been one of the few players who maintained his levels in the derby. His efforts were rewarded with a second goal in three games as Everton once again capitalized on a set piece. Gueye kept up the pressure after a McNeil corner was cleared, first blocking a shot and then launching a good ball towards Harrison. The winger found Branthwaite on the edge of a crowded six-yard box and although Collins blocked his touch, the rebound fell perfectly for Gueye to slot in and sweep home.

Brentford finished hard and Pickford had to be alert to deny Bryan Mbeumo, while James Garner hit a free kick against the bar.