Better times look ahead of Everton in the Premier League with their results taking a dramatic upturn over recent weeks.
There has been cause for optimism both on and off the pitch at Goodison Park over the last few weeks with The Friedkin Group now at the helm.
Since their emphatic victory over Wolves, Everton have secured consecutive draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and now Manchester City.
Jordan Pickford pulled off a penalty save against Erling Haaland to keep the Toffees level against Man City.
But not all of Sean Dyche’s players impressed in the draw against the Premier League champions with one player singled out by the manager.
Everton's English manager Sean Dyche gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Everton...
Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images
Sean Dyche slammed Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko
Following the game, Paul Robinson said Ndiaye was good enough to play for Man City with the Senegal international scoring a stunning goal.
There was one Everton player who certainly could have been credited with playing for City as Vitaliy Mykolenko handed Pep Guardiola’s side a penalty.
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Speaking to Amazon Prime after the game, the Everton manager admitted the Ukraine international’s challenge on Savinho was ‘lazy’.
“It is a penalty, Pep [Guardiola] said it was, to be fair, on the sidelines,” said Dyche.
“I’ve got no qualms with that. That’s the way it goes, but we didn’t start as brightly. It’s a lazy one, that one. And he’s a very good defender, Myko, and he’s been in really good form the last few games so I’m not going to question it.”
The Friedkin Group are eyeing January signings for Everton and Boxing Day’s draw looked as if the Toffees could do with a new left-back.
A ‘lazy’ challenge from Mykolenko could well have halted Everton’s positive momentum of late with Pickford sparing the Ukrainian’s blushes.
Man City’s Manuel Akanji says Everton didn’t deserve a draw
Mykolenko’s performance showed that Everton need an upgrade in the January transfer window at left-back.
However, it was a solid showing from the Toffees elsewhere with certain individuals really impressing.
Iliman Ndiaye was praised for his display against City after scoring with a fine strike inside the box.
But Man City defender Manuel Akanji said after the game that he did not feel Everton had done enough to warrant the point they’ve taken back to Goodison.
“I don’t think so, no [a fair result]. I think we did way more for the game. We created lots of chances, unfortunately we were only able to score one goal and we conceded one out of nothing but that is how football is,” he said.
“This was a game today we were able to score three or four goals, but they didn’t go in but then to be honest with you it can’t happen that we nearly lose in the last minute.”
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