Michael Keane once again impressed as Everton drew 1-1 with Sunderland in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light on Monday night
Michael Keane has been speaking about Everton's goalscoring problems
Michael Keane has been speaking about Everton's goalscoring problems
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Michael Keane has highlighted the need for his side to start scoring goals again and claimed Everton are benefiting from Iliman Ndiaye believing in himself more. The Blues managed to bring an end to a losing run when they drew 1-1 with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Monday night.
However, Blues boss David Moyes cut a frustrated figure for most of the game as he saw his side again waste a host of chances in front of goal. James Garner had already gone close before Iliman Ndiaye’s wonder goal opened the scoring before Jack Grealish hit the post.
Thierno Barry somehow blasted the ball over the bar from inside the six-yard box, while Charly Alcaraz then wasted two opportunities in stoppage time as the Blues chased a winner on the break after Granit Xhaka equalised a minute into the second-half.
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And Keane admitted: “We haven't had a clean sheet for a while. But yeah, we'd definitely like to put the ball in the back of the net more. We've had some good chances.
“Obviously, they've not gone in again. But on another night, you might go two up, you might even go three up. Obviously, Jack (Grealish) was unlucky off the post – and then it's a different game.
“But yeah, it's not just happening at the minute, but we have to take responsibility for that as a whole team and all work on it together.
“I think we can definitely turn [our form] around. Recently we haven't got the results. I think, I'm not going to say a lot of the performances, but big periods of these matches, we've played well. I think tonight was probably the longest period we haven't played well – the last hour or so. We just need to do it for 90 minutes.
“I know it's easy for me to say that, but it's something we need to work on. But the confidence is definitely there.
“I think when we are playing well, we're a better team than what we have been for a long time. It’s just about getting them goals and getting that confidence back in front of goal and getting back to clean sheets.”
Thierno Barry shoots over during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Everton. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Thierno Barry shoots over during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Everton. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
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On the game, Keane reflected: “I think we started the game really well in the first-half and we were really good.
“I suppose in the end, you could say it was a point gained because the second half was poor. I think we were really disappointed with that.
“We need to go back and watch it and figure out what happened because I thought in the first half, we were on top and we looked in control.
“We could have gone two up, we could have gone three up and they kind of came into the game in last 10 minutes of the first half and then got the goal early second half.
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“We were on the back foot a little bit, but I would expect us to be able to recover from that, get on the ball more, get control back at the game, but it didn't quite happen.
“We're definitely disappointed not to take three points, but probably quite lucky to take one as well. But we did defend well.”
Ndiaye’s opener was his fourth goal of the season in the Premier League, and Keane hailed his team-mate, saying: “He's incredible, yeah. His dribbling, I feel like he's gone up another level this year.
“He's believing in himself more and we've seen him working on them finishes all the time on his left foot and that's going like it did.
“It was an amazing goal and credit to him. He's been incredible. He's a great teammate, as well. He'll do the work off the ball. He works his socks off, so we're really lucky to have him."