The Sean Dyche period at Everton started with a bang on Saturday afternoon, with the brand new boss steering his struggling aspect to a colossal, 1-0 victory over league leaders Arsenal at Goodison Park.
Amid all the continuing doom and gloom on Merseyside at current – a reality solely heightened by the lack of January arrivals – the Toffees put that to at least one aspect to provide a surprising, dedicated show in opposition to Mikel Arteta’s males, with Dyche’s former Burnley stalwart James Tarkowski producing the sport’s defining second on the hour mark after expertly heading dwelling.
In a efficiency that was suffering from positives, one standout determine was undoubtedly that of summer time signing Amadou Onana, with the towering Belgian having been immense in his superior midfield berth.
Regardless of having been mooted for an exit through the current window, the 21-year-old confirmed no indicators of being distracted in opposition to the Gunners, notably successful eight duels in complete and laying on two key passes in that all-action show.
The previous Lille man notably produced a outstanding surging run within the first half earlier than teeing up Dominic Calvert-Lewin with a intelligent pullback, with the England worldwide coming agonisingly shut to creating the required contact.
Such a show has rubberstamped simply why the teen could be a “figurehead” underneath the brand new supervisor shifting ahead, as per journalist Sam Tabuteau, though he was not alone in having caught the attention on the day, with Dwight McNeil additionally trying considerably reborn on the flanks.
Will Dyche preserve Everton up?
Sure!
No, not satisfied
The £20m addition – who additionally beforehand labored underneath Dyche at Turf Moor – has endured a tough begin to life at Goodison since his summer time arrival, with simply two objectives and one help to his title previous to yesterday’s assembly, but confirmed indicators of the standard asset he may be underneath the brand new regime.
The 23-year-old’s most notable motion in that “superb” efficiency – as described by Each day Specific reporter Charlie Gordon – was his depraved supply to tee up Tarkowski for the sport’s solely purpose, illustrating the potent menace that he can pose from dead-ball conditions.
Whereas the one-time Manchester United youth product did lose possession on 17 events from his 38 touches in that spectacular outing, he additionally contributed three key passes and created two massive probabilities as a marker of his inventive prowess, whereas additionally offering a whopping 11 crosses from the flanks.
The Rochdale-born dynamo may nicely have had a second help to his title after additionally teeing up Abdoulaye Doucoure with one other pleasant cross within the opening interval, albeit with the Frenchman inexplicably heading vast after being afforded the liberty of the penalty space.
Nonetheless, that impactful show has showcased that McNeil – in addition to Onana – may have been revitalised by the change within the dugout, with that set to bode nicely for the second half of the season.