In a warm Goodison Park at the weekend Everton defeated Sheffield United, who had been demoted, 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Abdoulaye Doucoure.
In the process, the team set a new club Premier League record and inflicted another unwelcome one on their opponents.
The header from Doucoure was the 101st goal United has given up this season, one more than the previous record of 42 games set by Swindon Town in 1993–94.
With 40 points from 37 games, Everton is now in 15th place in the Premier League.
They have won five of their last six home games without giving up a goal, a run of play that has helped them escape the relegation zone.
With nothing much on the line for either team, the match had the feel of the conclusion of the season, although Everton produced more chances and deserved to win.
With their safety long assured and playing against one of the poorest teams in Premier League history, Everton exuded more confidence.
In contrast, the visitors exerted a lot of effort and enjoyed a brief period of possession in the second half.
However, Jordan Pickford, the home custodian, had a calm afternoon and recorded his 13th clean sheet of the season.
When Dominic Calvert-Lewin skillfully set up Doucoure for a one-on-one opportunity, the home team should have taken the lead.
However, with no defender in sight, the midfielder was unable to beat United custodian Wes Foderingham.
At the half-hour mark, the two Everton players combined once more, and this time it did lead to a goal.
With a deft through pass from Dwight NcNeil, Calvert-Lewin pulled Foderingham away from his goal line before crossing for Doucoure to head into an empty net.
Though there were no more goals in the second half, Everton’s victory was as easy as they had been at Goodison Park this season.
They kept creating chances. Beating the clubs surrounding them in the bottom six has been crucial to their survival this season.
Their five-game home winning streak without a loss, a club record, including triumphs over Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Burnley, and, most fortunately for the supporters, Liverpool.
