Our Everton jury have returned to have their say on the 2-2 draw with Manchester United and the upcoming game against Tottenham Hotspur
David Moyes speaks to Jack Grealish during Everton's draw with Manchester United
David Moyes speaks to Jack Grealish during Everton's draw with Manchester United(Image: (Tony McArdle - Everton FC/Everton FC via Getty Images))
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Everton continued their unbeaten start to the season on Sunday when Ainsley Maitland-Niles struck in stoppage time against Manchester United. The deadline day signing from Lyon curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner in the final minute of stoppage time, sending those inside Hill Dickinson Stadium wild.
Michael Carrick's side had looked set to seal all three points when Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko scored, with Tyrique George firing the home side level in between. But Maitland-Niles came off the bench to rifle home from distance.
Next up for the Blues is a trip to the capital to face Tottenham Hotspur and our Everton jury has returned to have its say.
Paul McParlan
Last season, Everton seemed to make a habit of conceding stoppage time goals. This campaign, however, we have developed a habit of scoring them, with two in our last two games, and what a way that was to finish the game on Sunday to grab a well-deserved point against Manchester United!
After a calamitous transfer window and with a mutinous atmosphere fermenting among elements of the fan base on social media, David Moyes and Everton needed to produce something to lift the crowd. The one thing they did show was resilience and a determination to keep fighting, rounded off with two absolutely awesome goals, which almost lifted the roof off the South Stand.
Tyrique George deservedly won the man of the match award for a brilliant performance, and at 19 years old, he may yet prove to be our best signing in years. His strike for our first equalising goal was stunning, a precision shot drilled into the net from a narrow angle, from which it seemed impossible to score.
I never imagined that there would be an even better goal to follow, but amazingly there was! With 95 minutes on the clock and the visitors leading 2-1, some fans were already heading for the exits, perhaps for a piece of last-minute shopping in Liverpool One? That was a big mistake!
Tyrique George celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Tyrique George celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
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Then, suddenly, our new arrival, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, unleashed a howitzer from outside the box, with such precision that it was nestling in the United goal before the keeper, Senne Lammens, had moved. It was certainly the best goal I have seen so far at Hill Dickinson Stadium and arguably the best-ever debut goal by an Everton player.
The stadium erupted into a volcanic, visceral celebration that enveloped everyone in Everton colours. The noise was off the scale. You simply had to be there. It was magnificent.
There were many positives on Sunday: Jack Grealish and Hayden Hackney were outstanding when they came on, Harrison Armstrong had another excellent game in midfield, and Jarrad Branthwaite delivered his customary composed performance.
Jack Grealish in action during the match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on September 6, 2026
Jack Grealish in action during the match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on September 6, 2026(Image: Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
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However, there are still concerns. Merlin Rohl is clearly not the long-term answer at right back, and Thierno Barry cannot be our only striking option. Also, the normally reliable Jordan Pickford could have done better, especially with United’s second goal. The look that Branthwaite gave his goalkeeper after the ball crossed the line said it all.
Five points from three games, still unbeaten in the league and into the next round of the League Cup, it has been an encouraging start. Next up is Tottenham Hotspur away, the club we should have relegated on the final day of last season. I have still not forgiven us for not doing that!
We have an appalling record on our visits there, but Saturday is a chance to end that hoodoo and earn our first away win of the campaign against a side who have failed to win or score so far. We let them escape last time; we need to pile on the misery this time.
Mark McParlan
Well, Sunday's match against United became exhilarating in the end, earning us a fully deserved point and giving us the best goal yet at the new stadium.
We were caught napping at the start of the second period after a solid showing in the first but made more changes, with Hayden Hackney and Jack Grealish offering something different. Tyrique George scored a stunning goal, which has us wondering (probably prematurely!) if we already have the Iliman Ndiaye replacement?
I feared it was all over with their sucker-punch second, but Ainsley Maitland-Niles came off the bench to score one of the greatest, most spectacular Everton debut goals. A true thunderbolt from the blue - it was only the sixth league goal of his career!
The celebrations were wild, especially with all the space around me to leap about - no sympathy to anyone leaving early at 3.50pm on a Sunday afternoon with a match in the balance.
Most importantly, the second comeback showed that this team has spirit. We’ve got a real spine to the side, from Jordan Pickford, the imperious Jarrad Branthwaite, to the strong midfield options, through to George and Grealish.
Jarrad Branthwaite in action against Manchester United
Jarrad Branthwaite in action against Manchester United(Image: (Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images))
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The frustrating thing is that the problems on Sunday were the same ones unaddressed by our calamitous end to the transfer window. When Thierno Barry isn’t really working, we don’t have the switch with Beto. I fear that flogging Barry for 90 minutes, week-in, week-out as a lone striker without respite is going to prove unproductive.
Again, Vitalii Mykolenko had me tearing my hair out as another promising opportunity ended: the ball was safely with the goalkeeper, out for a goal kick, or far over the heads of any blue shirt. How is he the only left back at the club?
Meanwhile, Merlin Rohl is simply too unpredictable at right-back and was constantly caught out by Manchester United. Hopefully Maitland-Niles can make that position his own, but we just don’t know yet.
Overall I’m happy; it’s been a really good, solid start to the season, and we’re playing well. Unfortunately we’ve a horrendous record at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, losing all of our previous five visits there, conceding fourteen and scoring one. We can do better this time against a Spurs side still searching for their first goal.