Tony Bellew devastated by injury to phenomenal Everton star Alex Iwobi at Manchester United
Alex Iwobi has been “phenomenal” for Everton and the club are going to miss him badly, according to former champion boxer Tony Bellew.
The Nigerian international was taken off early in the second half on a stretcher against Manchester United after a tackle from Tyrell Malacia appeared to have damaged his ankle.
Iwobi looked to be in a lot of pain after the challenge raising fears of a lengthy lay off, which is the last thing that Everton and manager Frank Lampard need for a key man, and Bellew’s reaction was understandably emotional.
Writing on his personal Twitter account during the game at Old Trafford Bellew said: “Devastated watching this game! Alex Iwobi has been phenomenal for so long now!
“Works himself into the ground every single week! We are going to miss him so so much! I hope you are ok champ.”
It pours
Iwobi has probably been the best player in the Everton side outside of the centre-back pairing this season, and was important during the run in last term as well.
His new contract, thought to be imminent, is a testament to that, so with the Toffees’ form so poor at the moment they can ill afford to lose him.
But the club’s luck appears to be non-existent at the moment and the signs weren’t good as he was carried down the Old Trafford tunnel on Friday night (6 January).
Bellew’s reaction will have been much the same as most Everton fans as they watched proceedings in Manchester, where a sloppy game saw the Toffees put up a fight against Erik Ten Hag’s side.
An early Antony goal looked like opening the floodgates to a defeat that might have ended Frank Lampard’s reign, but David de Gea’s incredible error allowed Conor Coady to equalise.
Yet the second half was almost poetic in its cruelty to the Everton boss and supporters, as Coady scored an own goal into the same net, Iwobi was injured, and excellent work from Demarai Gray that appeared to have brought a second equaliser via Dominic Calvert-Lewin was ruled out by a tight VAR call, before a soft late penalty and the club crashed out of the FA Cup.