EVERTON condemned Middlesbrough to back-to-back defeats for the first time since March after showing Aitor Karanka’s men how hard it can be in the Premier League.

Boro, who had claimed five points from their opening few games, had no answer to the Toffees in the first half after they recovered from falling behind to a debatable goal when Alvaro Negredo forced Maarten Stekelenburg to score through his own net midway through the first half.

Middlesbrough only held onto the lead for a few minutes before Everton levelled through Gareth Barry, on his 600th Premier League appearance, even if that could also have been ruled out for a high foot from Ashley Williams to obstruct Victor Valdes.

There were no complaints about the next two before half-time when Seamus Coleman and Romelu Lukaku put Everton clear and within two points of leaders Manchester City to leave Karanka and his men facing a testing second half.

With Cristhian Stuani ruled out with a groin injury, Karanka was forced into one change but he also made a couple more. Adam Clayton was left out for the first time since April and Viktor Fischer was named on the bench to makeway for Gaston Ramirez.

Marten de Roon, who almost created an early opening for Ramirez with his hard work, and Emilio Nsue were the other two changes for an encounter where Middlesbrough knew they faced a difficult evening after the home side’s 3-0 win at Sunderland.

But Everton, sitting second, quickly found greater confidence on the ball and Middlesbrough had their work cut out in trying to stop the blues attacks.

Yet it was Middlesbrough who controversially gained the lead in the 21st minute. George Friend sent over a fine delivery and Negredo jumped and made contact with Everton goalkeeper Stekelenburg as he went to gather, and the ball ended over the line.

The lead was short-lived, with another debatable goal. Three minutes later Kevin Mirallas’ corner saw Victor Valdes, whose own positioning was questionable, put off by the high boot of Williams. After a ricochet off Negredo, Barry powered a finish beyond Valdes from a difficult angle.

Everton kept pressing after that and Yannick Bolasie headed over the bar a Leighton Baines cross when Valdes looked beaten after half an hour. He was beaten three minutes before the break though.

Everton cleverly worked the ball from left to right and when it ended up at Coleman’s feet the full-back worked his way inside the Middlesbrough box, rounded Daniel Ayala and fired a low shot inside Valdes’ bottom left corner.

Worse was to come before the half-time whistle too when Bolasie’s cross from the right curled towards the back post and Lukaku claimed a touch and the third to pile the misery on Middlesbrough.

In the second half Middlesbrough improved, with Stewart Downing and substitutes Viktor Fischer and David Nugent those to impress, but Everton had already got the points sewn up.

EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg; Coleman, Jagielka, Williams, Baines; Barry (Cleverley 90), Gueye; Mirallas (Deulofeu 72), Barkley, Bolasie; Lukaku (Valencia 66). Subs: Robles (gk), Lennon, Funes Mori, Holgate.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Valdes; Barragan, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Forshaw (Clayton 83), De Roon; Nsue (Nugent 59), Ramirez (Fischer 70), Downing; Negredo. Subs: Guzan (gk), Espinosa, Chambers, Traore.