Flying start sets Everton on the way to thumping win against Leicester

Abdoulaye Doucoure scored the fourth-fastest goal in Premier League history after just 10 seconds as Everton powered to a 4-0 victory over struggling Leicester and moved 10 points clear of danger.

Beto, the Toffees’ only fit striker, then scored twice before the interval for the first time in his Goodison career to send a timely message he is ready to fill the void left by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s lengthy absence.

It all amounted to more trouble for under-pressure Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose 17th-placed side have lost eight of their last nine league matches since he was appointed on December 1.

The contrast in the opposing technical area was stark. Under David Moyes, Everton have won three consecutive league matches for the first time since April after an initial defeat on his return to the club.

Moyes is desperate to add to his threadbare squad before the end of the window but may find solutions from within as Beto, aided and abetted by the much-needed vision of James Garner in his first start since October after injury, played a crucial role and eventually departed to a standing ovation just before Iliman Ndiaye scored the fourth in added time.

Such has been the confidence Moyes has brought on his return there was not even mention of a “relegation six-pointer” in the build-up and what played out on the pitch justified that.

The team was unrecognisable from the goal-shy one which had laboured so much under Sean Dyche as they made it seven in successive home games.

In their most barren spell, the month from mid-December, Everton scored once in six league matches.

Here, thanks to some benevolent Leicester defending, they scored two in the first six minutes for the first time in the top flight since March 1970.

Jordan Pickford’s regulation punt upfield from the kick-off should have been dealt with but Beto cleverly held off Boubakary Soumare to provide an avenue for Doucoure to run into, chest the ball down and fire across returning goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

After a recount the goal was timed at 10.18 seconds, the fastest in Everton’s history.

Just over five minutes later James Tarkowski’s ball into the same inside-right channel was steered inside the same far post for Beto’s first league goal since October 26.

But it was not just the sharpness which was better, Everton were playing more flowing football with Garner making a huge difference and the right-side combination of winger Jesper Lindstrom and defender Jake O’Brien, who tapped home from a corner but was offside, continuing their recent progress.

Everton’s inside-right channel was being mined for all it was worth, with Garner linking up with Beto, who was sent tumbling to the turf by Jannik Vestergaard’s challenge deemed perfectly legal.

Garner had a shot tipped onto a post and Doucoure steered over from 10 yards, before the former capped a triumphant return with a brilliant pass in between Leicester’s centre-backs which Beto confidently stroked past Hermansen.

All the visitors offered in the first half was Victor Kristiansen’s rising drive from a corner and their late arrival after the interval suggested either a dressing room dressing down or general lethargy.

It appeared it was the latter as the visitors barely offered a threat and the anonymous Jamie Vardy was withdrawn after an hour.

Lindstrom’s last act was to shoot straight at the goalkeeper, with Ndiaye curling a shot just wide before adding the fourth against hapless opponents, who face Manchester United and Arsenal next, as the visiting fans directed their anger at the board.