Ally McCoist wowed by Amadou Onana live on TNT Sports, admits Everton ace not given enough credit vs Liverpool
Amadou Onana was “brilliant” in tracking back to thwart an early Liverpool attack for Everton at Anfield, according to Ally McCoist.
The TNT Sports pundit was speaking live on the match commentary in reaction to the Toffees midfielder chasing back to put in a tackle which stopped a Reds break that had the defence overmatched.
In the 18th minute Luis Diaz was running through with three teammates to his right approaching Jordan Pickford’s box, but after he played the ball across Onana reached through between two players to challenge and avert the danger, and McCoist admitted he hadn’t initially praised him enough.
McCoist replied to Darren Fletcher’s praise of Onana (12.48pm): “Absolutely, but how many times are Everton going to get caught on the counter?
“They’re masters of their own downfall, it’s going to come back and bite them. Brilliant play from Liverpool on the break but again Everton looking at their most vulnerable when they’re attacking Liverpool.
“I probably didn’t give Onana enough credit there because you’re right it was brilliant the way he got back, it really was.”
Top quality
It looked for all the world as if Liverpool’s overload against the Everton defence was about to lead to the opener before Onana sprinted back to prevent it.
His work summed up a strong display in the midfield for the derby in what was always going to be a difficult game.
It summed up the battling work that the Toffees produced after weathering an early storm, that was undercut, as so often, by a series of questionable refereeing decisions.
Craig Pawson gave Ashley Young two bookings in the first half for a pair of fouls on Diaz, which the 38-year-old should have known better than to commit, while deciding not to caution Kostas Tsimikas for any of his transgressions.
The official then decided not to show Ibrahima Konate a second yellow after the break when he brought down a breaking Beto, much to the amazement of Sean Dyche.
And while the penalty that ultimately broke the deadlock from Mohamed Salah may have been correct according to the handball law it added insult to injury when Onana and company had otherwise restricted Jurgen Klopp’s side to long-range shots at goal.
Even with a man fewer the Toffees showed the fight that fans would have hoped for, and to come away with nothing once again when key decisions went one way and not the other was cruel.
In other Everton news, Jim White was surprised as Simon Jordan dismissed fears surrounding 777 as the takeover hit a snag.