sport news Everton fans' electric atmosphere carries the Toffees to Premier League safety trends now
It was a sea of blue from four hours before kick-off. Flares — the kind Richarlison likes to chuck — were lit everywhere you looked, the plumes of smoke even setting off alarms in the stadium.
The smell outside the ground was like Bonfire Night, the atmosphere like Notting Hill Carnival. ‘Just imagine if we won something,’ laughed one fan.
It has been this way before games here all month, when Evertonians chose to put all frustrations with their failing club, temporarily, to one side.
Goodison Park was a sea of blue as fans set off flares before Everton's win over Crystal Palace
Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed home with five minutes remaining to clinch the 3-2 victory
The striker's late winner sparked a pitch invasion as hundred of fans flooded on with flares
‘When you have to fight for your life, you appreciate that life more,’ said another supporter.
The scenes were special ahead of their 1-0 win over Chelsea three weeks ago and again before they lost 3-2 to Brentford on Sunday.
But the fans took it up another notch last night for what was Everton’s most important home game since 1994, when they beat Wimbledon to stay up.
Fireworks, previously reserved to wake up the visiting team in their city centre hotel, were set off before the arrival of the Everton bus, which changed its usual route so more supporters could catch a glimpse.
Fireworks were set off before the arrival of the team bus, which could barely
