Everton’s draw at EPL title holders Chelsea last Saturday did much to erase the memory of the previous week’s 4-1 home loss to West Bromwich Albion which left them hovering above the relegation zone.

Jermaine Beckford’s late equaliser snatched a point at Stamford Bridge. And captain Phil Neville praised the much-maligned striker, who has struggled to discover his true touch in Everton colours.

Everton were also recently linked with the loan signing of LA Galaxy veteran midfielder David Beckham but this week made a squad addition from the other end of the age when much-vaunted England under-19 star Ross Barkley signed a first professional contract.

 

Everton were accused of underestimating West Brom after their Goodison Park triumph. But defender Phil Jagielka insisted that “we knew (West Brom) were a good team, although with the performance we put out in stages, it may not have looked that way.”

Neville was naturally more upbeat in discussing Beckford after the Chelsea game, telling BBC Radio Merseyside: “He’s got something you can’t practice, that knack of being in the right place at the right time.”

And manager David Moyes professed himself “delighted” with the signing of Barkley, a club academy graduate. The 17-year-old starred in England’s under-17 European title success in May but suffered a broken leg playing for England under-19s recently.

The Toffees signed him up three days after his 17^th birthday, even though he is unlikely to fully recover until the spring.

Everton host struggling Wigan in a bottom-six EPL clash this Saturday.