Leon Osman's second goal in as many games gave Everton only their third home win of the season against Swansea.
Toffees leapfrog opponents with win
Leon Osman's second goal in as many games gave Everton only their third home win of the season against Swansea.
The 30-year-old rose highest to nod home Royston Drenthe's corner on the hour to decide a game that was high on effort, but low on chances.
Swansea stopper Michael Vorm was the busier of the two 'keepers, making two smart stops from Toffee substitute Magaye Gueye towards the end of the first half.
The best chance for the visitors - who are still without an away win - fell to Danny Graham, but his 68th minute header flew straight at Tim Howard.
The first half an hour was notable only for a near total lack of goalmouth action, perhaps not too surprising given the scoring records of the two teams.
Everton have found life particularly difficult at Goodison but they took firm control during the final stages of the half, and the catalyst was a forced substitution.
Seamus Coleman, back in the team after a thigh injury, limped off to be replaced by Gueye, with the lively Drenthe switching to the right and setting up the first good chance with a whipped cross that was headed just wide by Louis Saha.
Perfectly
Everton should have taken the lead in the 38th minute when Osman played in Leighton Baines down the left and his pull-back fell perfectly for Gueye.
The Frenchman was too deliberate with his shot, though, allowing Vorm to make a good stop, and Gueye's effort from the rebound was kept out by the arm of Ashley Williams, although it did not look intentional.
Phil Jagielka fired over from the resulting corner and Baines then did likewise with a free-kick after Williams was penalised for handball on the edge of the box.
It was becoming an onslaught, and Drenthe sent a free-kick wide of the far post before the half ended with the influential Osman playing in Gueye only for the winger to again be denied by Vorm.
Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers, who had already lost Neil Taylor to injury, made a change for the start of the second half, sending on Kemy Agustien in place of Mark Gower, and the visitors began to show a bit more attacking intent.
The half-time break had done Everton no favours and they did not threaten Vorm's goal again until the 56th minute, when Phil Neville's quick free-kick found Osman in the box but he could only poke tamely at the keeper.
Four minutes later the Dutchman was beaten, though, with a straightforward goal from a corner.
Swansea may feel aggrieved the set-piece was awarded following a driving run into the box from Drenthe, but there was no doubt about the finish, the winger's delivery planted into the far corner by Osman.
Contact
The visitors had barely created a chance but they should have equalised in the 68th minute, Graham making good contact with Wayne Routledge's cross 10 yards out but heading straight at Howard.
Swansea had struggled to cope with the pace of Drenthe and he would have been in again but for a sliding clearance from Vorm.
Rodgers made his final change, throwing on striker Leroy Lita for Leon Britton, while Denis Stracqualursi replaced the disappointing Saha for Everton.
Drenthe received a standing ovation as he made way for Tim Cahill, dropped to the bench after a year without a league goal, with 10 minutes left.
And there were no real alarms for Toffees boss David Moyes as the hosts comfortably held on to leapfrog their opponents and climb to 11th place in the table.
| Everton |
Team Statistics |
Swansea City |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 5 |
Shots on Target |
1 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
0 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
4 |
| 9 |
Corners |
2 |
| 8 |
Fouls |
14 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 74.9 |
Passing Success |
82.2 |
| 17 |
Tackles |
16 |
| 82.4 |
Tackles Success |
87.5 |
| 45.7 |
Possession |
54.3 |
| 61.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
38.4 |
| 399 |
Total Passes |
483 |
| 28 |
Total Crosses |
11 |
| 168 |
Lost Balls |
145 |
| 51 |
Recoveries |
51 |
| 47.1 |
1st Half Poss. |
52.9 |
| 43.7 |
2nd Half Poss. |
56.3 |
|
