Everton claimed a last-gasp win over Crystal Palace last time out – and ahead of this weekend's game against Man City, our Blues jury have returned to have their say
Connor O'Neill joined the ECHO's sports team in September 2020, having previously worked as a UK football writer for Belfast Live and on the Reach regional sports wire team. He mainly provides content for our Everton and Liverpool pages and is a regular contributor to the Royal Blue podcast. In addition to covering football, Connor can also be found ringside, covering the big boxing fights involving fighters from Merseyside.
David Moyes is unable to call upon Jack Grealish for Everton's Premier League clash against Man City this weekend
David Moyes is unable to call upon Jack Grealish for Everton's Premier League clash against Man City this weekend
View 3 Images
Everton return to Premier League action this weekend when they take on Manchester City at the Etihad. The Blues claimed a last-gasp win over Crystal Palace last time out with Jack Grealish scoring in stoppage-time.
However, Grealish is unable to feature in this weekend’s game, as City are his parent club. But Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is available again after missing the 2-1 win over Oliver Glasner’s side due to suspension.
And with Saturday's match in mind, our Everton jury have returned to have their say.
Paul McParlan - A bizarre ruling that needs to be revisited
When Everton won the league title in 1987, in one of their final home games, they were held to a 0-0 draw against a struggling Manchester City, who featured Kevin Langley in their side.
The player had started the season at Everton, playing 16 games and scoring twice, before joining City on loan in March 87. At that time, loan players were allowed to play against their parent club, with no apparent concerns.
Langley ended the season being relegated with City but with a league winners medal for Everton! This might still be a unique achievement.
This weekend, Everton's best player, Jack Grealish, is prevented from playing at the Etihad because he is on loan with us and is still contracted to City. Apparently, this is to 'safeguard the integrity of the competition'.
In fact, this ruling has the opposite effect, giving the player’s contracted club a massive advantage over its rivals. Grealish can feature against 18 other teams this campaign but can’t appear tomorrow, and with this the chance of a win for the home side has increased considerably.
This ruling does not apply in the Champions League nor in any other major UEFA league, so why is it still imposed here? In these competitions, UEFA relies on clubs being able to have their own autonomy over selection. Why can’t we be trusted to do the same here?
Jack Grealish scored his first goal for Everton against Crystal Palace last time out - but he can't feature against Manchester City this weekend
Jack Grealish scored his first goal for Everton against Crystal Palace last time out - but he can't feature against Manchester City this weekend
View 3 Images
Given the desire of the Premier League to maximise their financial streams, surely the game on Saturday is easier to sell to sponsors and advertisers if Jack can play against Pep’s men? Undoubtedly Sky and TNT would have made that their main fixture of the weekend, billing it as: 'Will Jack come back to haunt Pep?'
This is a bizarre ruling that needs to be revisited. It was first brought in in 2004 when Lomana LuaLua, then on loan at Portsmouth, scored a last-minute equaliser against his parent club, Newcastle United, possibly depriving them of a win.
Do the Premier League still seriously believe that if Grealish plays and scores, this could cost City the title or a European place? If Pep was that worried, why did he loan Jack out in the first place?
Football fans pay top dollar to watch their team all over the country. Why should Evertonians be denied the chance to see Grealish on at least two occasions because of this regulation, which wouldn’t apply if we met each other in a UEFA tournament?
When Langley played for City at Goodison, the 0-0 draw was one of their best results of the season, and it didn’t cost Everton the title. The loan arrangement did not affect the integrity of the league then, and it doesn’t now.
The Etihad is always a tough gig, and travelling there without your best player makes it even harder. Protecting the integrity of the league? Don’t make me laugh.
The Royal Blue podcast logo
The Royal Blue podcast logo
Mark McParlan - I fear a Chermiti situation repeated with Aznou
We may not have expected any of our senior players to pull on the Royal Blue Jersey during this week’s international break, but Dwight McNeil, new signing Adam Aznou, and Nathan Patterson competed as part of an Everton under-21 squad in the Vertu Trophy (formerly Johnstone’s Paint Trophy) away at League One Bradford City, who demolished our side 5-1 in front of 4,170 spectators.
The farcical, naively mismatched competition aside, it is worth pondering on the fortunes of these three players. It is a genuinely sad situation with McNeil, even though nobody could argue with Jack Grealish being the one to take his position.
McNeil has been the sole consistent performer in the final third over the past three seasons (for our often-struggling team), scoring 14 goals and registering 15 assists in the Premier League alone.
Regardless, he is clearly no part of David Moyes’ plans and will leave as soon as the January window opens. There will be Premier League suitors, and he is only 25, so he should be able to command a fair transfer fee, but for me it is undoubtedly a sad end.
Perhaps premature, but I fear a Youssef Chermiti situation repeated with Aznou – I struggle to see the point in spending £9million for a player who isn’t in first-team plans.
Youssef Chermiti before the Premier League match between Leeds United and Everton FC at Elland Road. Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC
Youssef Chermiti before the Premier League match between Leeds United and Everton FC at Elland Road. Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC
View 3 Images
If, like Chermiti, he is not afforded serious senior minutes, how is he ever going to improve his game and become ready?
I make no slight towards a player we have barely seen, but it is money that could have been used on somebody ready to play for us now. With regard to Patterson, there is less to say.
A deadline-day move to Sevilla fell through after their player opted to stay. The Scotland international will leave in January, having struggled for minutes for any manager other than Frank Lampard during his Everton career.
Looking ahead Saturday, I’m unsure how the front four will line up in Grealish's absence – presumably Beto at centre-forward, Iliman Ndiaye on the wing, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall back in the fold.
Carlos Alcaraz is in line for a start, but is he going to have to try to impress from a more awkward wide position?
We are also still awaiting news on Jarrad Branthwaite. I am looking forward to seeing us in action again, but unfortunately Manchester City away, with Erling Haaland in this form, and us without Jack Grealish, doesn’t leave me with enormous hope.
Content Image
Content Image