Ahead of Everton’s trip to the Gtech Community Stadium, we look back on a classic away match at Brentford
17:15, 10 Apr 2026
James Tarkowski celebrates his goal during the match between Brentford and Everton at on September 23, 2023(Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
Despite winning a dozen Premier League away games since David Moyes returned, Everton’s only triumph to date at the venue now known as the Gtech Community Stadium came at a tumultuous time for the Blues.
Everton triumphed 3-1 on September 23, 2023, to secure their first three points of the season at the sixth attempt – their joint-worst start to a Premier League campaign – in what was also their first away game since the now collapsed private investment company 777 Partners signed an agreement with majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri to acquire his full stake in the club.
Following the announcement of the deal, just eight days before this fixture, the Monaco-based businessman said: “The nature of ownership and financing of top football clubs has changed immeasurably since I first invested in Everton over seven years ago. The days of an owner/benefactor are seemingly out of reach for most, and the biggest clubs are now typically owned by well-resourced PE firms, specialist sports investors or state backed companies and funds.
“I have been open about the need to bring in new investment and complete the financing for our iconic new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, on the banks of the Mersey, which I have predominantly financed to date. I have spoken to a number of parties and considered some strong potential opportunities.
“However, it is through my lengthy discussions with 777 that I believe they are the best partners to take our great club forward, with all the benefits of their multi-club investment model. As a result of this agreement, we have an experienced and well-connected investor in football clubs who will help maximise the commercial opportunities, and we have secured the complete financing for our new stadium, which will be the critical element in the future success of Everton.
“Today is an important next step in the successful development of Everton and I look forward to closely following as our club goes from strength to strength.
“Of course, none of this could have been achieved without the hard work of everyone at the club. From our team at the training ground, our commercial and support teams through to matchday employees, I extend my sincerest gratitude.
“And to our fans, the last few years have been challenging but you have supported the club through it all and consistently been our twelfth man. You are the best fans and deserve success.”
Everton, who Moshiri boldly declared were going “from strength to strength,” would suffer an unprecedented brace of points deductions from the Premier League that season for PSR rule breaches. For their part, 777, never received the green light from the Premier League for their proposed takeover and despite Moshiri telling supporters: “I believe they are the best partners to take our great club forward,” little over a year later on October 9, 2024, they entered bankruptcy proceedings in the United Kingdom.
Returning to on-the-field matters, having survived a first relegation in 72 years by a single goal on the final day of the 2022/23 season despite posting the lowest equivalent points total in the club’s history, Everton had started the 2023/24 campaign in sluggish fashion. After a hat-trick of defeats to Fulham (1-0, home); Aston Villa (4-0, away); and Wolverhampton Wanderers (1-0, home) a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane saw both the Blues and hosts Sheffield United pick up their first point respectively before Sean Dyche’s men then fell to a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Goodison Park.
Therefore, the 3-1 triumph at Brentford came as a huge relief. Abdoulaye Doucoure – who of course had been the match-winner in Everton’s ‘Great Escape’ against Bournemouth the previous May, fired the Blues ahead in west London with a smartly-struck half-volley just six minutes into the contest.
Doucoure then struck the crossbar with another shot but just 90 seconds later and with 28 minutes on the clock, Brentford equalised against the run of play as Mathias Jensen found the bottom corner following a smart passing manoeuvre. Everton were not to be denied though and restored their lead midway through the second half as ex-Burnley duo Dwight McNeil and James Tarkowski combined as the latter headed in a corner-kick from the former.
That was a particularly painful blow for the Bees given that Tarkowski remains an unpopular figure among significant sections of their fanbase given that as one of their players, amid a series of transfer bids, he refused to turn out in a match against Dyche’s Burnley as a 23-year-old in 2016, a fortnight before the Mancunian returned to his native North West by making a move to Turf Moor.
The points were sealed four minutes later as substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin raced on to a smart pass from James Garner to fire the ball past Mark Flekken and send the travelling Blues supporters into raptures.
Afterwards, Tarkowski said: “I think you could see the reaction from all the lads. We know what he’s been through, so just glad to see him back out there, fingers crossed he stays fit and keeps scoring us.
“We can only do so much (to help). I’ve been lucky with injuries the last few years but I know what it’s like to go through and it’s a difficult time in any player’s career.
“To see him back fit and out there scoring, it’ll feel great and hopefully that continues.”
Reflecting on his goal, the centre-back added: “With a head my size, I should be heading the ball like that! Nice to score a goal but we’ve been threatening this for a while and it was about time we put the ball in the back of the net and got the win.
“I often say I need to be more threatening in the opposition box. I feel like I get my head on a lot of things in our box but don’t cause as many problems in the other box. [On Saturday] I managed to do that.
“We know with the size in our team and delivery we’ve got, we should be threatening from set pieces. We got a couple of goals that way – one off a second phase for Doucs and obviously my header.”
Manager Sean Dyche said: “Progression was the idea. We know the story of the past two seasons, firstly we need to do better than that.
“Our performances have been but the outcomes haven’t – it was good today to get the outcome. “The bigger picture is to start the process of moving forward. I said to the players, we’re the only ones who can change the story of Everton. “The fans play their part, but it’s on the pitch you can change stories and that’s our job. We’ve got to change the story, get it more positive and build from what we’re doing.”