Reaction from David Moyes after Everton's clash with Sunderland in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light on Monday
Grealish was on the end of some rough tackles against Sunderland (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
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David Moyes believes Jack Grealish deserves more protection after the Everton playmaker was on the receiving end of another collection of rough challenges at Sunderland. The Manchester City loanee was left writhing in pain in the second half after a challenge by Black Cats right back Trai Hume - one that saw the defender enter the book.
Moyes leapt onto the pitch in anger at the tackle - one of several poor ones he has been subjected to this season.
After the game, when asked whether Grealish needs more help from referees, Moyes said: “I think he does. There was a tackle in front of me that looked like a leg breaker to me, I've broke both my legs so I've got an idea of what it's like when you're doing it and I thought there was one which came very close to that.
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“But it didn't thank goodness and it was waved on so that was it.
“But he does, he takes a lot of challenges and I think he's renowned for it because he's able to attract players to him the way he plays.”
Moyes’ words came alongside his frustration that Everton yielded the advantage at the Stadium of Light.
The Blues dominated the start of the match and took an early lead through Iliman Ndiaye. Grealish hit the post but then Thierno Barry missed from close range and Sunderland found a route back into the game.
After Granit Xhaka’s second-half equaliser it was the hosts who looked most likely to go on and win the game, something that frustrated Moyes.
He said: “I think after 30 minutes I'd have been disappointed if I was only going home with a point.
“I think that after 90, I was quite pleased to have a point. Look, we played well and I think the miss we had from Barry took the wind out of our sails. I
“ think after that they just started to get a little bit of strength from us missing the chance, I think.
“We'd played well enough in the first 20-30 minutes but we didn't play well at all in the second half. We were so poor."