Osman was the perfect candidate for the occasion. Born and raised in Wigan and nurtured in Everton’s youth ranks, the same school from which Rooney graduated and now is turning his back on.
“One greedy b******,” they chanted, and “Stand up if you hate Rooney.”
One supporters’ group, angered by Rooney’s imminent sale and by the direction of the club under chairman Bill Kenwright and directors Paul Gregg and Jon Woods, wanted fans to vacate the ground at half-time. But the general mood of cynicism had dissipated as David Moyes’s men put together a convincing performance. They began well, showed signs of sagging, then turned it on.
Within two minutes, Everton had the lead. A long throw by Thomas Gravesen was headed on at the near post by Kevin Kilbane and Osman was there, just beyond the back post, to head the ball back across Russell Hoult and inside the far post.
This early heavenly vision of a post-Rooney era quickly gave way to the reality of a club whose struggles explain in part the England striker’s disaffection. West Brom hit back and from their third corner in the opening seven minutes, Jonathan Greening placed the corner on Scott Dobie’s head at the near post and his header was beyond the reach of Nigel Martyn.
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Kevin Campbell and Marcus Bent worked hard to hurt West Brom further, but the strikers are similar in the way they play and the acquisition of James Beattie from Southampton — a £7m offer is being mooted before Tuesday’s deadline — would be welcomed by Moyes.
West Brom were wilting. Everton went for the kill. A foul by Martin Albrechtsen on Duncan Ferguson created the opportunity. Lee Carsley struck the free kick powerfully, Hoult dived to his right but a flicked header by Osman moved the ball decisively out of the goalkeeper’s reach. It made up for a lot. On this day anyway, it even made up for the loss of Rooney. oUnited up Wayne Rooney bid to £25m, page 7
STAR MAN: Leon Osman (Everton)
Player ratings. Everton: Martyn 6, Hibbert 7, Yobo 7, Stubbs 6, Pistone 6, Osman 8, Gravesen 7, Carsley 6, Kilbane 7, Bent 5, Campbell 6 (Ferguson 62min, 5)
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West Brom: Hoult 5, Scimeca 5, Purse 6, Gaardsoe 6 (Albrechtsen 23min, 6), Robinson 5 (Moore 65min, 6), Gera 6 (Haas 54min, 5), Johnson 6, Clement 5, Greening 6, Kanu 6, Dobie 6
Scorers: Everton: Osman 2, 69
West Brom: Dobie 7
Referee: P Walton
Attendance: 34,510