BIRMINGHAM, England, Nov 13 (AFP) - A moment of madness from Muzzy Izzet handed Everton a 1-0 victory and the three points against Birmingham City at St Andrews on Saturday.
Izzet arched backwards and tipped a looping drive from Lee Carsely over the bar with both fists as keeper Maik Taylor watched on helplessly.
He saved a certain goal as Carsley's shot was heading for the top corner but Izzet's actions proved futile.
He was given a straight red card before Thomas Gravesen added insult to injury by slotting home the resulting penalty on 69 minutes.
When Shaun Bartlett ill-advisedly stuck out an arm against Tottenham to prevent a goal a week ago, he did it with his side 3-0 up.
Tottenham scored the penalty and 10-man Charlton eventually hung on to win 3-2.
Bartlett's actions were daft, but Izzet's were plain stupid.
Birmingham were in the ascendency in the second half of a dour affair after manager Steve Bruce's clever tactical switch turned them into the more potent of two uninspired teams.
Once they were reduced to 10 men, though, the Merseysiders held on comfortably for a fifth victory away from home that keeps them clinging onto the shirt tails of leaders Chelsea and Arsenal and leaves the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool trailing in their wake.
Quite what possessed Izzet to audition for a new career as a goalkeeper, only he knows, but he almost certainly cost his side a share of the spoils, possibly even victory.
Even so, substitute Dwight Yorke should have rescued an unlikely point for Birmingham in the last minute but he blazed over the bar from six yards with only Nigel Martyn to beat.
The Midlanders remain perched perilously above the relegation zone just seven days after the elation of their unexpected victory away to Everton's cross-town and more illustrous rivals Liverpool.
Chances were at a premium in the first half although, ironically, it was Izzet who came closest to breaking the deadlock.
On eight minutes he escaped down the right to send in a teasing low cross that was stabbed away by Tony Hibbery and four minutes later he latched on to a Jesper Gronkjaer cross but failed to test Nigel Martyn with his header.
Birmingham became a more potent force when manager Steve Bruce brought Stan Lazaridis on for Stephen Clemence after 61 minutes.
He switched the ineffectual Gronkjaer from left to right wing and pushed the pacey Julian Gray forward from left back to Gronkjaer's old position with Lazaridis slotting in behind him.
The switch looked like it would bear fruit, until Izzet's rush of blood cost Birmingham dearly.
11/13/2004 19:18 GMT - AFP