In recent seasons, Everton fans might argue that the club haven’t seen enough youngsters promoted to the first-team at Finch Farm.
Sean Dyche has been up against it at Everton since he took the job, and other than to the likes of Roman Dixon, the club’s homegrown talents have rarely got a chance with the senior squad.
Of course, Harrison Armstrong is currently bridging that gap, an extremely talented youngster who earned a spot on Dyche’s bench during the 0-0 draw away to Arsenal last weekend.
Since, Armstrong returned to the under-21s and played 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw away to Leicester City in the Premier League 2.
Omari Benjamin praised for ‘really good’ Everton goal among three others
The midfielder was one of four players who under-21 coach Paul Tait praised after the game, when he noted that Leicester fielded an older, more experienced side.
Alongside Harrison, Tait also praised Omari Benjamin, who scored Everton’s goal, and both Odin Samuels-Smith and Aled Thomas at the back.
Omari Benjamin of Everton during the Bristol Street Motors Trophy match between Accrington Stanley and Everton U21 at Wham Stadium on October 29, 2...
Photo by Gary Oakley/Getty Images
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Tait said: “They had quite an older team out tonight, so it was a great game for us learning-wise and development-wise.
“We got the goal late on – Omari picked it up deep and drove at them, it was a really good individual goal – but just couldn’t hang on for long enough.
“We gave away a couple of soft corners that we shouldn’t have given away. We gave a goal away from a corner, a set piece, which we need to learn from quickly.
“But there were loads of positives. Odin Samuels-Smith and Aled Thomas at centre-half were excellent, two of the youngest players on the pitch.
“It was nice to see Omari get a goal and Harrison was good for us in flashes, he got through in the second half and [the] keeper pulled off a good save.”
Three more big Premier League tests for Everton before year ends
Away from some promising news with the academy team, Dyche will be willing his senior side to build on their strong point away at Arsenal.
Everton have three more Premier League fixtures before the end of the year, starting with the chance to stifle Chelsea’s momentum at Goodison Park.
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Jarrad Branthwaite was one of a few who were excellent against Arsenal, and he’ll be crucial to any attempts to halt Chelsea’s surprise title push.
Thereafter, Dyche’s team will be looking to pile onto Manchester City’s misery, even if a trip to the Etihad still feels like an ominous one.
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