Mirallas appeared to ignore his team-mates when he picked up the ball to take a penalty instead of spot-kick expert Leighton Baines just before half-time at Goodison Park. And the winger’s risky decision backfired as his penalty hit a post and he was then taken off by Everton manager Roberto Martinez moments later at half-time. And you can’t ignore oueself team with FIFA 15 coins to play with our best friends in FIFA 15.
Mirallas’s actions, which came just days after he was linked with a potential move to Tottenham or German side Borussia Dortmund, will be interpreted as a selfish attempt to seize the spotlight. But more significantly, his miss means Martinez’s troubled team are now without a win in their last eight matches in all competitions and sit only four points above the Premier League relegation zone.
With a scene from Sylvester Stallone’s new Rocky movie being filmed at half-time, both Everton and Albion were sorely lacking a knockout punch in a dour encounter. Unsurprisingly given their recent struggles, Martinez’s men looked short of confidence and when Baines had their first shot, the left-back was unable to get enough power behind it to trouble Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster.
It was a huge blunder by the Belgian and Martinez appeared to waste little time laying down the law to his rebellious star as he hauled off Mirallas at half-time and sent on Bryan Oviedo in his place. The controversy could have destabilised Everton, but they pushed hard in the second half and Lukaku’s shot was blocked when the burly striker tried to bulldoze his way through.