With the September international break now at its end, Everton had winners and losers from their duties, as one player made his mark.
Fans will be thrilled that Everton will be in action once again this weekend, but the break presented opportunities for a few players.
David Moyes is looking to build a squad full of internationals, and surely Jack Grealish is due an England return after his form.
James Garner could also be in England’s thinking, but for now, it was the mainstays in their national teams who had the chance to impress.
There were a few success stories that came out with one player thriving, but a few others struggled during their time away from Finch Farm.
Iliman Ndiaye in action for Senegal.
Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images
Winners of Everton’s international break as Iliman Ndiaye shines
Jordan Pickford
England’s number one seemed to find his international duty a breeze once again, playing 90 minutes in 2-0 and 5-0 wins for the Three Lions.
The 31-year-old kept two more clean sheets for his country, meaning that the Everton shot stopper hasn’t conceded in 11 hours and 36 minutes of football with his country, as Pickford also achieved a new milestone.
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Pickford had ‘comfortable’ performances, as the ever-reliable keeper continued his fine form for the national team.
Iliman Ndiaye
Over in Senegal, it was Iliman Ndiaye once again taking the headlines, as he can’t seem to do wrong for either club or country.
Senegal fans were delighted with Ndiaye across both games, as the African nation managed to win both fixtures in their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The winger seems to only be getting better, and now the 25-year-old can pick up from where he left off in the Premier League against Aston Villa.
Idrissa Gana Gueye
The other player from Senegal is of course Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Although Gueye ‘struggled’ for Senegal, he still achieved one full 90 in a win, so it’s hard to say he lost out from this break.
It certainly wasn’t glittering from the consistent Everton star, but he still played his part in what was a successful few games for the Lions of Teranga.
Losers of Everton’s international break with underwhelming Beto displays
Jake O’Brien
It wasn’t all success for the Everton squad, who were away, as Jake O’Brien endured a tricky time with Ireland.
O’Brien did perform well against Hungary in the 2-2 draw, but when it came to Armenia, it was a nightmare for the defender.
Minutes played 90
Dribble success % 33%
Tackles won 0
Ground duels won % 1/3 (33%)
Long ball accuracy % 1/6 (17%)
Jake O’Brien’s statistics for Ireland in 2-1 defeat to Armenia, as per FotMob
Losing 2-1 in what was a pivotal game for the Irish in their pursuit of a place in the World Cup doesn’t bode well for O’Brien, as it was a break to forget with all things considered.
Beto
Another player with an underwhelming performance was Beto after he didn’t quite make his mark.
The 27-year-old was the only Premier League player called up for Guinea-Bissau, showing that he should be the man to lead his nation forward.
But after playing just 97 minutes across the two games with zero goals in a win and a draw, it was fairly disappointing, as Beto is hoping to improve at Everton.