Wes Hoolahan celebrates scoring Norwich's equaliser, denying Everton a deserved three points |
RONNIE Biggs spent his final days in Norwich Prison - maybe the local police should now turn their attention to how Norwich got away with the great Carrow Road robbery.
As they flew back to Merseyside last night, Everton must have spent the short flight trying to work out how on earth they managed to throw away another two points.
And, astonishingly, it could have been even more painful had Cameron Jerome not missed a late sitter.
If Jose Mourinho had been watching he would probably have switched off at half-time wondering why on earth he ever let Romelu Lukaku leave Stamford Bridge.
The striker looked a world-class in every respect except his final finish but he's still looking an absolute steal, even at £28million.
He now has his sights firmly set on Jamie Vardy's 11-in-a-row scoring record after giving the Toffees the lead with a 15th-minute far-post header.
Lukaku is already more than half way there after netting for the sixth successive game and, had he been that little bit sharper or more composed in front of goal, he would have taken home two match balls!
Toffees' manager Roberto Martinez admitted: "Another day he would have scored four or a hat-trick but the number of chances he created is another top performance from him."
His 15th goal of the season, and his eighth in his last seven matches in all competitions, was scant reward for Everton's brilliant first-half form.
They had eight genuine chances - five of them falling to the 22-year-old frontman - with Canaries' keeper Declan Rudd twice dashing off his line to deny Arouna Kone and Leighton Baines, making his first start of the season, lashing a thumping effort on to the bar.
While Lukaku is shooting towards the top of the Premier League goal charts, at the break it looked like the Canaries were plummeting back towards the Championship.
Canaries' boss Alex Neil revealed: "Whatever gets said in the dressing room remains there but you could imagine I wasn't best pleased with the first half.
"Everton could have been leading by two or three at half time."
Ryan Bennett was sent on for the second period - and duly helped City equalise from their first attack after the break.
He knocked down Robbie Brady's corner and Wes Hoolahan saw his first effort blocked on the line by Ross Barkley but he bundled the rebound past the midfielder.
And only a dreadful six-yard miss by Jerome, who somehow managed to fire over, denied them their first win since beating Bournemouth in September.
Neil added: "Cameron had a great chance and Nathan Redmond had a chance to slide the ball across to him but made the wrong decision."
Everton have now thrown away six points from their last three games and their Spanish boss groaned: "What good work we do and the expansive football we play has to be backed up by a bit of ruthlessness."
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