Abdolouye Doucoure called an ‘idiot’ by commentator after Everton incident
Abdoulaye Doucoure certainly made headlines for Everton in midweek with his post-match antics against Liverpool.
The Mali midfielder will be suspended for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace (15 February) having picked up a second booking after the final whistle for goading the away supporters in a pulsating Merseyside derby, the last at Goodison Park.
Wednesday’s mass brawl (12 February) was begun by Doucoure antagonising the pocket of fans in red, for which Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones ran over and immediately confronted him, starting a melee which resulted in four red cards.
Doucoure an ‘idiot’ as Moyes deals with Crystal Palace clash
Everton head to South London without not only Doucoure but also Iliman Ndiaye, who suffered a first-half injury which left him distraught and Moyes expects him to be absent for “weeks”.
With 14 Premier League games to go – only six of those coming at Goodison – Moyes wants his strongest players available having been unable to massively strengthen in the transfer market.
TV commentator Ian Darke, speaking exclusively to Goodison News, branded Doucoure an “idiot” for the predicament in which he has left his manager, though acknowledges Moyes’ satisfaction with the overall outlook of the evening after the derby.
“It’s a passion play and we can have snooty moral judgements about it, and I’m sure Doucoure looks back and thinks he was being an idiot there, taunting the Liverpool fans. He deserved his second yellow,” Darke said.
“Of course Curtis Jones and others were going to take exception especially as it was so hot and fresh, and now they both have to sit out a game.
“But in a way, David Moyes alluded to it afterwards, it was all part of this fiery drama.”
Man United, Man City and Arsenal still to visit Everton at Goodison
While the number of remaining fixtures forever at Goodison Park makes an emotional and gradual fall, Everton fans still have several of the big guns to welcome.
As well as a trip to Anfield on 2 April in the reverse fixture from Wednesday, the home games concerned include the visits of Manchester United – who come next on 22 February – as well as Arsenal and Manchester City.
The atmosphere will be salivating for more encouraging attacking football from Moyes’ revitalised Toffees team, as the club look to provide as strong a succession plan as possible for the new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium.
Moyes wants to be in it for the long haul – perhaps not as long as the 11 years in his previous stint but you never know – and at last, life in blue is brightening up again.