Everton: Pat Nevin wowed by what he saw Ashley Young and Dwight McNeil do v Newcastle
Former Everton winger Pat Nevin feels Dwight McNeil and Ashley Young looked like his former side’s most dangerous players against Newcastle.
The Toffees struggled in the first half, going behind after just 15 minutes when Alexander Isak put the Magpies in front.
And Nevin felt that Everton did not utilise the threat of their wide players often enough in the first 45 minutes, saying on BBC Radio 5 Live: “When Ashley Young and Dwight McNeil get the ball for Everton they have looked dangerous. Problem is, it hasn’t happened nearly as often as it should.
“Abdoulaye Doucoure also had a chance and probably should have done better.”
The Toffees went on to secure a point after Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a penalty off the bench.
Everton struggled to feed their forwards
In a game where Everton lost the midfield battle and handed the momentum and initiative to Newcastle for the majority of the contest, the Toffees’ forward players suffered.
Wingers McNeil and Young, as well as centre-forward Beto and attacking midfielder Doucoure, were all forced to feed off scraps as the Magpies bossed possession and forced Dyche’s outfit to sit deep.
It was a disjointed display, with the defence and attack looking disconnected, leaving plenty of wide open spaces in the centre for their opponents to exploit.
The Toffees improved when James Garner and Calvert-Lewin replaced Doucoure and Beto, but it took a mistake from Newcastle’s Paul Dummett, who inexplicably hauled Ashley Young down in the box to hand Everton a lifeline from the spot – which they duly took.
In other Everton news, a former Premier League director has given his verdict on Farhad Moshiri’s role in the club’s PSR breaches.
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