Tyler Dibling has barely featured for Everton so far this season, and will be expected to come to the fore in the Toffees’ Premier League season – but he’ll have to improve upon a recent showing.
Tyler Dibling joined Everton in the summer after a £42million move from Southampton, coming with a lot of promise and potential after a solid debut campaign in the Premier League.
David Moyes is keen to ease Dibling into the picture instead of exposing him to constant Premier League minutes, and that has been the case so far with just 62 minutes of top-flight football to his name since the Merseyside switch.
However, after performing below-par as a substitute for England under-21s on Friday, Dibling will need to get up to scratch as he looks to replace Iliman Ndiaye over the Christmas period.
Liverpool v Everton - Premier League
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Tyler Dibling featured for England U21s on Friday evening
Everton starlet Dibling was included in the England under-21 side for their upcoming internationals, though he was benched in favour of Chelsea prodigy Tyrique George.
George scored from the right-wing, weakening Dibling’s chances of making an appearance, though he did get on the pitch with 15 minutes to go.
However, Dibling wasn’t at his best in the cameo appearance.
Metric Statistics
Passes attempted 3
Passes completed 1
Dribbles attempted 1
Dribbles completed 0
Touches 5
Tyler Dibling’s performance metrics for England u21 vs Ireland u21
His only cross was unsuccessful, he completed just one pass from a possible three, with two in the opposition half being to an Ireland player.
MORE EVERTON STORIES
In fact, Dibling only had five touches of the ball and lost possession three times, meaning his only meaningful contributions were a pass inside his own half and winning a foul.
Although he was only on the pitch for 15 minutes, he’s going to have to up his game when required in the coming weeks.
Tyler Dibling will feature prominently for Everton over the festive period
Tyler Dibling has yet to force his way into Everton’s first team this season, but he’ll get a big chance to do so in the week before Christmas.
The dreaded Africa Cup of Nations comes around on December 18, and with Iliman Ndiaye being in the picture for Senegal after his superb start to the campaign, he’ll be off to feature in the continental tournament.
Dibling is the second-choice right winger for the Toffees, and he’ll get his chance over the second half of December and the first half of January if Ndiaye’s side make it towards the latter stages of the tournament, as they are likely to do.
Dibling made 20 starts for Southampton in the Premier League last season and impressed on the south coast as they were relegated with a whimper, but he’s only started once for Everton this season.
That will change in the coming months and it will be up to the Exeter-born star to make the first team spot his own.