Omari Benjamin provided a timely reminder of his potential on Wednesday night as Everton’s Under-21s beat National League leaders Boreham Wood on penalties in the National League Cup.
The 20-year-old striker came off the bench in the 66th minute and needed only seven minutes to score, finishing a slick move to put the young Blues ahead.
Boreham Wood equalised late on to make it 1-1, but Everton won the resulting shootout 4-2, with Benjamin also converting from the spot.
His contribution comes at an interesting time for Everton, with David Moyes short of natural alternatives to Thierno Barry in his senior squad.
Benjamin worth watching as Everton search for Barry cover
Barry has started all seven of Everton’s games this season and scored five goals, including the winner against Ipswich Town at the Hill Dickinson on Saturday.
Following Beto’s summer departure and the collapse of the proposed move for Folarin Balogun, however, Barry remains the only specialist senior centre-forward available to Moyes.
As we reported earlier this week, Moyes intends to use the international break to look at Charly Alcaraz as another possible option through the middle. Brennan Johnson has also been used there when required.
Benjamin is clearly further down the queue, but he is the natural striker closest to the first team within Everton’s development ranks. If Moyes eventually needs to look beyond his senior makeshift options, the Wales youth international is an obvious player to monitor.
He joined Everton after leaving Arsenal in 2024 and has now scored 14 goals in 51 appearances at Under-21 level, alongside seven assists.
Former Under-21 manager Paul Tait was impressed by Benjamin after he scored twice against Liverpool in October 2024, praising both his work rate and his performances as a No.9.
Nobody should expect a goal against Boreham Wood to suddenly propel Benjamin into Moyes’s Premier League plans. There is still a massive jump between Under-21 football and leading Everton’s attack.
But the shortage of specialist strikers means his progress has greater relevance than it might otherwise have had. Barry is first choice, Alcaraz is being tested as an alternative and Benjamin, however far away he may currently be, is one of the next natural No.9s in line.
Scoring against senior opposition on Wednesday night did him no harm.
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