James helps Calvert-Lewin to first career hat-trick

Dominic Calvert-Lewin registered his first career hat-trick in an impressive 5-2 win over newly promoted West Brom, that also saw a stand-out performance from new signing James Rodriguez.

West Brom got off to the best possible start after their opening day humbling by Leicester, with Grady Diangana, who recently signed on a permanent contract, surging forward and firing home the game’s opener inside 10 minutes.

Jake Livermore was then centimeters from giving the Baggies a two goal lead, thumping a half-volley off the post with Jordan Pickford beaten, but Calvert-Lewin then levelled things up with a backheel that was originally deemed offside.

James Rodriguez then scored his first Premier League goal, picking out a corner from distance to give Everton a half-time lead, and even more drama followed, with Keiran Gibbs seeing red for a shove against James, where a hand ended in the Colombian’s face. 

West Brom coach Slaven Bilic then received a red of his own after confronting referee Mike Dean at the break, but his side didn’t let up, with Matheus Pereira scoring a phenomenal free-kick from distance to start the second half.

Michael Keane quickly restored Everton’s lead, before Calvert-Lewin & James got back to work, the latter with a beautiful dinked pass over the West Brom defence to Richarlison, who squared the ball to Calvert-Lewin to tap-in for a 4-2 lead.

The Englishman then made it five, nodding in James’ corner, and claimed his first career match ball, in the kind of game a pre-Ancelotti Everton could have easily found a way to drop points in.

🇮🇹Most #PL goals since Carlo Ancelotti's first game as Everton boss:

13⚽️: Anthony Martial, Mohamed Salah
12⚽️: 🔵DOMINC CALVERT-LEWIN🔵, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
11⚽️: Raheem Sterling, Danny Ings, Raul Jimenez#EVEWBA #COYB #EFC pic.twitter.com/mfPxj6eUsQ

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) September 19, 2020