Everton will take a decision on Tyrique George at the end of the season, after landing the forward on loan a few months ago.
It was a quiet January for Everton, despite the clamour for new faces.
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Premier League table.
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Fans wanted to see two or three signings, feeling that that would give the team the best chance of pushing for Europe.
Everton have still been able to do that so far, but have just hit some bumps in the road at the wrong time now, and face an uphill battle to play in a European competition.
One such bump came on Saturday as Everton lost to West Ham United.
George started on the bench again and, as was the case against Brentford, looked bright when he came on.
But David Moyes’ reaction after the game was a little underwhelming.
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Tyrique George clearly still has work to do to earn permanent Everton move
David Moyes looks on.
Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
There has been clamour for George to start games for Everton.
In recent weeks, Dwight McNeil’s form has dipped and plenty of fans are now calling for him to be replaced.
George would be the natural replacement, and we’ll see if he’ll get the nod in these last four games.
But that said, Moyes gave a rather blunt response when asked about George after the defeat to West Ham.
The reporter mentioned that George had made ‘a big difference’ and a ‘proper impact’.
Moyes said (via BBC Sounds): “Yeah, he gave us a bit more than we’d had.
“But the game had turned a little bit at that as well, you know. We were more offensive in trying to find a way of getting a goal and we did. Probably should have had others.”
Moyes, of course, will have been frustrated about losing the game and losing ground on the teams around Everton.
But the lack of enthusiasm when speaking about George felt telling.
Tyrique George playing for Everton.
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
He was clearly a bright spark again for Everton and even Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall praised George after the game.
It perhaps wouldn’t have been right for Moyes to go too overboard with praise for George.
But it was a bit of a blunt response and he also pointed to the game naturally changing, which downplayed his impact.
It seems that the 20-year-old still has work to do to force his way into that starting XI over McNeil, and it also looks like he’s still got plenty to do in terms of turning his move to the club permanent.
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