The Chris Beesley talking points from Everton's 3-1 pre-season friendly win over Newcastle United in Edinburgh
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 12: Iliman Ndiaye of Everton celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the pre-season friendly match between Newcastle United and Everton at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on August 12, 2026 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Iliman Ndiaye of Everton celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the pre-season friendly match against Newcastle United (Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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Over 13 months ago when he first signed for Everton, Thierno Barry made a bold declaration. The £27million signing from Villarreal proclaimed: “I think the fans here are, like, crazy people... I like this! I like to score for these people. I just want to play here, score and enjoy it with the fans.”
There’s been enough water under the bridge since then to fill the Mersey, but after what was certainly something of a mixed bag in his debut season in English football, Barry now looks primed to lead the line for the Blues going into their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace a week on Saturday. That’s three goals now for the Frenchman during pre-season and it could easily have been four had it not been for a controversial disallowed effort in the Bolton Wanderers stalemate while there has also been an assist thrown in too.
After a slow start, the 6ft 5in frontman enjoyed a midseason purple patch but then even a brace off the bench against Manchester City wasn’t enough to restore his place in the starting line-up until Everton’s hopes of European football were finally mathematically snuffed out ahead of Tottenham Hotspur on the final day. Among all of that, there was also the Arsenal spat that resulted in Barry being booed by sections of his own fanbase.
Hopefully he will ultimately judged on his on-the-field contributions and so far when it comes to letting his football do the talking, Barry looks to have taken the ascendancy again this summer following last season’s job share with Beto. Having netted the winner at St James’ Park last time out with an effort that went in off his backside – following a shove from Lewis Hall – this time he got back on his feet after being floored again by the left-back to finish with aplomb after a surging run from the halfway line.
By George
Barry of course had to wait 17 matches to break his scoring duck for Everton in 2025/26 and after he got off the mark to cap this 3-1 friendly win over Newcastle United, Tyrique George will now be hoping to register in competitive action for his new club. The 20-year-old drew a blank in 11 outings for the Blues while on loan yet all but one of those appearances came off the substitutes bench.
Having struck half a dozen times in 37 matches for previous club Chelsea though, the Londoner has certainly got it in his locker to offer a tangible threat in the final third. With Iliman Ndiaye’s extended post-World Cup break, the early pre-season friendlies gave precocious young talents like George and Tyler Dibling with an opportunity to shine and while question marks remain over whether there will be a second coming of Jack Grealish, now the Senegal international is back, the competition for places has become even more fierce.
George though has stepped up to the plate and he crowned another encouraging display with the kind of assured finish that will give his confidence a timely boost. The way he took the ball, with his back to goal from a pass by Harrison Armstrong – for what proved to be the West Derby prospect’s second assist of the evening – looked like he’d been slotting chances like that away his whole life.
Hopefully it can soon become second nature for him.
Ndiaye settling back in
As Everton FA Cup-winning hero Anders Limpar told the ECHO last week: “How much money does a person need in life? These guys are already multi-millionaires so why go to Saudi Arabia when you’re 26? You got to Saudi Arabia when you’re 36!
“Go to Saudi Arabia when you no longer feel close enough to the pace of the Premier League. It’s never good to talk about greed in football but come on, why would you ever go to Saudi Arabia when you can play in the Premier League?”
As previously declared by his own father, we’re now told that Ndiaye will not be taking up interest from Al-Hilal. Quite right, but given that the player – who has turned down several offers of a new contract from Everton this year – has publicly expressed a desire to play Champions League football, Blues know that even with the signing of Brennan Johnson secured in a swap for Dwight McNeil, letting him go in the final weeks of the summer window would be a major blow.
Everton maintain that Ndiaye is not for sale and on his return to join up with his colleagues at their German training camp, former team-mate Idrissa Gueye declared: “Here to stay.” Let’s hope so for a special talent who netted the Blues’ last goal at Goodison Park and first at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Understudy doesn’t fluff his lines
The man who has long since exorcised his demons when it comes to being a pantomime villain in Newcastle fans’ eyes, Jordan Pickford doesn’t even have to play against the Magpies for England’s number one to remain the centre of attention. Everton are still waiting on the return of the 32-year-old following his World Cup heroics but those who had travelled from Merseyside among the 22,982 crowd were still singing his song with gusto.
There’s no doubt that as soon as he is available to return, the Blues’ best goalkeeper since the legendary Neville Southall will be back in the side. However, throughout his absence in Everton’s half dozen friendlies so far this summer, Mark Travers has proven an able deputy.
Such is Pickford’s brilliance, the Republic of Ireland international didn’t get much of a sniff last season following his move from Bournemouth and was restricted to a brace of Carabao Cup outings. But, other than being beaten from distance by compatriot Gabriel Kelly with what proved to be Stoke City’s matchwinner at the bet365 Stadium, Travers has hardly put a foot, or indeed a glove, wrong.
In a venue where ball handling is key, there were a string of more impressive stops from the 27-year-old, especially when the game was still in the balance at 0-0. Ultimately, he was denied a clean sheet by Harvey Barnes’ late consolation, but this was still another solid showing.