Everton had a golden chance to take the lead against Manchester United, but it was the visitors who struck when it mattered
Harrison Armstrong (right) battles for the ball with Manchester United's Diogo Dalot
Harrison Armstrong (right) battles for the ball with Manchester United's Diogo Dalot(Image: Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
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For the third consecutive Everton match, the harsh lesson of profligacy in the Premier League reared its head and this time it was Harrison Armstrong who was left on a steep learning curve. At Craven Cottage it was the Blues who benefited from Fulham’s inability to finish their dinner after going into a 1-0 lead, but then the tables were turned against Bournemouth at Hill Dickinson Stadium and now, after a 13-day break, David Moyes’ men were unable to take a big chance when it came their way.
Armstrong once again showed why his manager has not only recalled him early from his season long loan at Preston North End but put him on the field in every match since, with this his seventh start. While the 19-year-old was again not deployed in what appears to be his most natural central role, his ability to take on instructions and learn quickly has made him an increasingly influential figure for Everton in the second half of the season and move ahead of several expensive acquisitions in the pecking order.
But with the Blues’ most-gifted home-grown talent of all-time Wayne Rooney watching on, Armstrong was unable to match the finishing powers of a player who went on to become Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer. By the time he was Armstrong’s age, Rooney had already moved to Old Trafford but in the most positive sense of the word, the Croxteth-born wonderkid was a freak of nature.
It would be unfair to compare any subsequent Blues academy graduate to him, but Armstrong is one of the brightest talents since. There should be many great nights ahead for him, but that landmark moment will have to wait.
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