Mirallas rescues Fiorentina in six-goal thriller

Mirallas, who joined the Tuscany side on a season-long loan after falling out of favour at Goodison Park, came on as a late substitute and secured his maiden goal in Italy when he beat Sassuolo 'keeper Andrea Consigli on 96 minutes.

The 31-year-old Belgian had spent the second half of last season on loan at his former club Olympiakos, after Everton manager Marco Silva questioned his commitment to the Premier League club he joined six years ago.

The game between two Europa League rivals sprang to life in Reggio Emilia on the hour mark.

Sassuolo went two goals up in five minutes after Ghanaian Alfred Duncan broke through and then set up Senegalese Khouma Babacar to score against his former club.

Giovanni Simeone came off the bench and pulled a goal back for Fiorentina off a rebound after 70 minutes.

Stefano Sensi added a third for the hosts ten minutes from time, but the Tuscans were not to be outdone.

In a chaotic final ten minutes Sassuolo's Filip Djuricic and Fiorentina's Nikola Milenkovic were both sent off for dissent.

Marco Benassi slotted in to revive Fiorentina hopes in the final minute of regulation time before Mirallas, who replaced Gerson Santos da Silva on 76 minutes, beat the offside trap to snatch a third for the Tuscans, who have now gone eight straight games without a win.

"This is the real Fiorentina, a team that does not want to lose ever," said midfielder Federico Chiesa, who replaced Marko Pjaca for the start of the second half.

Fiorentina have not won since September 30.

"We've got to do better during the week too in training, but I think we can build on those 10 minutes."

Sassuolo are two points ahead of their rivals in eighth with Fiorentina dropping to 12th.