Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall looks on while playing for Everton
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall looks on while playing for Everton
Carl Recine/Getty Images
Former Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel has praised Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s midfield display for Everton in the EFL Cup, suggesting the midfielder could flourish alongside wingers and a number nine of similar quality.
This season, the Toffees have been working with a threadbare senior squad, boasting just 18 outfield players, excluding goalkeepers.
Despite their limited numbers, David Moyes’ side have continued to remain competitive and tough to beat, with progress also made in the EFL Cup.
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On Thursday night, Everton welcomed Newcastle United to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the fourth round of the competition and secured a 3-1 victory, despite the visitors creating more chances.
Dewsbury-Hall was among the standout performers, registering an assist and completing 18 carries as his side booked their place in the quarter-finals.
Friedel outlined how the 28-year-old’s ability to dictate play could give Everton a platform around which to build a more threatening attack.
He suggested Moyes will be considering how to complement the midfielder with two wingers and a pacey centre-forward, while acknowledging the difficulties involved in recruiting players of that calibre.
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2024–25 13th
2023–24 15th
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2021–22 16th
The 55-year-old also stressed that, in his view, the attacking midfielder had the quality to operate alongside highly talented, top-level footballers.
Friedel said on talkSPORT (29th October, 21:40): “David Moyes must be watching these games, and if you watch this game, especially in the first half, and you have someone that’s so good like Dewsbury-Hall, that can get on the ball and run the show.
“Can you imagine what two wingers could do, and a number nine that has pace?
“And he must be thinking, where can I go find them? I know it’s hard to recruit the players, I understand all of that.
“But I think Dewsbury-Hall is that good that he can play with really highly talented, high-level footballers.”
Last season, Dewsbury-Hall registered 14 goal involvements in the Premier League, with a team-mate praising his reliability and consistency.
The 28-year-old has maintained that level this term, already contributing two goals and an assist in the top-flight, underlining his importance to Moyes’ side.
Everton also targeted further attacking reinforcements during the summer, with Moyes keen to bring in Aston Villa striker Tammy Abraham and Real Betis winger Ez Abde, but both pursuits fell through on deadline day, along with the bid to sign Folarin Balogun from Monaco.