Everton manager David Moyes watched Harrison Armstrong in person for Preston North End this week as part of his work to monitor the development of a player earning rave reviews
Everton loanee Harrison Armstrong celebrates his side's third goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Preston and Sheffield United at Deepdale. Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images
Everton loanee Harrison Armstrong celebrates his side's third goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Preston and Sheffield United at Deepdale. Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images
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David Moyes has been impressed with Harrison Arsmstrong’s start to life at Preston North End. The Everton manager agonised over whether to allow the youngster to leave on loan this season, ultimately deciding to sanction his exit on deadline day.
The hope was that Armstrong would receive more first team minutes at Deepdale and that the additional exposure would boost his development.
That decision appears to be paying off for the teenager, who has broken into the Preston first team despite their promising start to the campaign. He has quickly become a fan favourite as the Championship side build what they hope will be a promotion push.
Moyes was present at his former club on Tuesday night to watch Armstrong in person as Preston fell to a narrow home defeat to Birmingham City. While he was on the losing side, the Blues boss was pleased with what he saw from his England youth international.
He said: “Harrison played well. He doesn't look out of place in any way. I think it's good for him.
“I think he's playing at a good team in Preston at the moment. Preston will be close when it comes to the top end of the league.”
Preston returned to winning ways on Friday night with a comeback 3-2 win over Sheffield United. Armstrong played the full 90 minutes in what was his fifth consecutive start.
When the ECHO spoke to manager Paul Heckingbottom last month, the midfielder was yet to start a match but the consensus was once he earned his chance he would probably take it.
Speaking after the home draw with Bristol City, in which Armstrong was a second-half substitute, Heckingbottom said: “He came late, which we accept that has to happen a lot when you're taking young talented Premier League players who've been with the squad.
“He arrived when we'd been winning games but he knows how much we like him and how much we rate him and he's participating in every game.
“He's jumping at the bit to start and he is ready to start, I'd have no problem starting him, because I know what a good player he is.”
Days later he was given that first start in the draw at Hull City and he has not looked back.
The reports that have reached Moyes have been positive and he saw the England Under-19s starlet deliver in person in midweek.
Speaking before Preston’s win over the Blades, Moyes said: “I think it looks as though he is playing well and he’s still got more to do - we'd always look for more - but there's not that many 18-year-olds who do the physicality and the continuation of the amount of games they play, like they play Tuesday, now they're on again Friday night.
“So that will do Harrison no harm to be put through the ringer a little bit. He's at a good level, but he's still developing for us and we've still got to develop him into a Premier League player.”
Armstrong started the campaign in Everton’s first-team squad, coming off the bench in the historic first Premier League game at Hill Dickinson Stadium and earning the man-of-the-match accolade in the Carabao Cup win over Mansfield Town.
Moyes, who would like more depth in his midfield, agonised over whether to give in to the clamour from the Championship sides seeking his services after his successful stint at Derby County last season. The addition of Merlin Rohl in the final hours of the transfer window allowed him to do so.
Heckingbottom was delighted to be the beneficiary of that late spate of business. He told the ECHO: “He's a driven lad, he puts expectation on himself.
“We know what he can do and, seeing what he could do even with Everton's first team this season, we've got an expectation of him as well and I was really pleased that we could get him, because I think he'll be a really, really good player for us this season.”
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