'Fireman Sam' to the rescue as Everton climbs league ladder

LIVERPOOL - Everton boss Sam Allardyce's ability to quickly get teams out of relegation trouble is the defining characteristic of his management career but his impact at Goodison Park has been so swift he is already looking at a top-half finish.

Everton's 3-1 win over Swansea City on Monday pushed the Merseysiders up to ninth in the Premier League and the worries of a long scrap against the drop already seem a distant memory thanks to the instant impact of the man dubbed "Fireman Sam" (referencing a children's TV animation character in the UK).

"The target now? Top half but let's not get carried away," said Allardyce, after goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney, with a penalty, secured a comeback victory over the rock-bottom Swans.