Thierno Barry extended his red-hot streak with a double as Everton beat Coventry 3-1 to climb into fifth place in the Premier League on Friday.

David Moyes’s side trailed to Yann Gboho’s goal early in the second half at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

But Barry proved too hot for Coventry to handle, netting twice in the space of just five minutes to turn the game in Everton’s favour.

Moyes said this week that Manchester City star Erling Haaland “should be worried” about Barry replacing him as the Premier League’s most lethal striker.

While that might have been hyperbole, Barry has already reached 10 goals this season, surpassing his total for the entire 2025-26 campaign.

That miserable first season with Everton following his move from Villarreal is quickly becoming a distant memory of the in-form 24-year-old, who has six goals in his last seven appearances in all competitions.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored in the closing minutes to wrap up Everton’s third successive victory in all competitions.

It was a memorable way for Moyes to celebrate a notable milestone as he equalled Harry Catterick’s record of 592 games as Everton manager.

Catterick won the First Division title and the FA Cup with Everton, but Moyes, in his second spell in charge, is still waiting to end the club’s long trophy drought, which dates back to 1995.

Everton are heading in the right direction on the evidence of the last 10 days.

A pair of wins over Newcastle in the League Cup and Premier League were followed by the mature victory against Coventry — all achieved without Jack Grealish, who has been suspended following a breach of discipline after he reportedly skipped a training session.

– Deadly Barry –

Coventry boss Frank Lampard was left frustrated with a pair of rejected penalty appeals that could have turned the match in his side’s favour.

Lampard, who managed Everton from January 2022 to January 2023, has now seen 16th-placed Coventry beaten three times in their last four games.

In the first meeting between the sides since 2001, Lampard’s men should have taken the lead when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto threaded a pin-point pass to Jack Rudoni but the midfielder shot straight at Jordan Pickford.

Everton defender James Tarkowski escaped without punishment for pulling Caleb Yirenkyi’s hair, an offence that Coventry believed was worthy of a penalty and a red card.

Coventry were frustrated with VAR for the second time when Vitaliy Mykolenko’s shove on Taiwo Awoniyi failed to yield a penalty immediately after half-time.

They finally took the lead in the 52nd minute as Rudoni’s pass squeezed through Everton’s slack marking towards Gboho, who somehow poked past Pickford from six yards despite being surrounded by three defenders.

But the Ivory Coast midfielder’s first goal since his close-season move from Toulouse was swiftly cancelled out by Barry four minutes later.

Mykolenko swung an in-swinging cross into the Coventry area and Barry was left unmarked to thump his header past Carl Rushworth from close-range.

Everton had the momentum and they went in front after 62 minutes.

Barry’s initial shot was saved but the French striker pounced on the rebound to prod home despite Coventry’s appeals for handball.

Barry turned provider in the 81st minute, clipping a pass through to Dewsbury-Hall, who lashed past Rushworth from a tight angle to cap Everton’s stirring fightback.

Red-hot Barry strikes twice as Everton sink Coventry

Suggested for you

More Stories

CAFA urges unified policies to grow Africa’s fashion economy to $500bn

CANEX WKND 2026 lights up Lagos as Davido, Fally Ipupa, Flavour headline star-studded concert tonight

MC Senator, friends set for a night of laughter

Bimbo Ademoye shines in dual roles

2027: Gombe APC names Sa’adu Hassan campaign DG

Diana Nyeche returns with new project for kid actors

Discussion