Sean Dyche speaks after Everton drew 1-1 with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day
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Sean Dyche the head coach / manager of Everton during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Everton FC at Etihad Stadium on December 26, 2024
(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Everton manager Sean Dyche hopes Iliman Ndiaye will be fit to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday as he hailed the player for his spectacular strike earned a 1-1 draw at Manchester City. Ndiaye’s 36th minute thunderbolt earned the Blue a share of the spoils at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day after Bernardo Silva had fired the Premier League champions ahead.
Dyche said: “I wasn’t surprised or relieved about City not clicking. I believe in what we do and we set our stall out really early.
“I wasn’t really worried about the shape but rather the intent, we were maybe lacking in a bit of intent, perhaps with it being the early kick-off on Boxing Day and all those things, they play into it a little bit. But we grew into it as the game went on and I was really pleased with our goal, it was a great finish from Ili.
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“Hopefully, he’s not too seriously injured, but he had a tight calf and we have to be careful with that. Seamus is the same, just with a little bit of cramp, we have to be careful with him.
“The biggest thing for me is the mentality. It’s growing all the time and it’s taken us time this season.
“We got off to a really tough start but once we’ve corrected it, we really have pushed on from that. We’ve had two losses in 13, and while I know there have been a lot of draws, it’s not easy to do that in the Premier League and I think that shows the intent and the desire in the side to get change, not only in the performances, but the results.”
Dyche also credited both Jordan Pickford and Everton’s team of analysts after the England number one made his second penalty save of the season, denying Erling Haaland after previously thwarting Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon from 12 yards out. He said: “It’s good for the analysts as well. They work together to give him the benefit of the doubt with as many penalties as they can but of course, credit to him because he has to make a decision on the spur of the moment, and he made the right one.
“It’s stats and facts. Everyone knows them these days, it’s not hard to get them.
“We have an analyst team that look into that of course. It’s still down to the goalkeeper to make the right decision and he did so I’m really pleased for him and for us.”
Everton might have even nicked a win deep into stoppage time had Jack Harrison shown more composure in front of goal but Dyche was satisfied to secure a third straight draw with one of the division’s heavyweights. He said: “It could have been three, I think that would have been stretching it. They’re a very good outfit and before the game you’re wondering are they going to click again because they will do at some point.
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“I thought we did well as a team to stop that from happening. They scored and it was a scruffy one, a lucky one, dare I say, with a strange sort of spin on the ball which takes it in.
“You wonder whether that settles us down. We weren’t as good as we have been over the past few games at that stage, but we settled down a little bit and scored a fine goal ourselves and defended very well for the rest of the game.
“We had chances to break away in the second half and one right near the end where you wonder whether we could have nicked it, but I think it would have been harsh on them. I think we take the point.”