David Moyes ‘better than ever’ as Martin Keown raves about one Everton player
Everton appear to be going from strength to strength under David Moyes, with the Scot’s impact earning wholesale praise.
The Toffees made it four wins in their last five and unbeaten in as many games with Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace, taking them up to 14th in the Premier League table and onto 30 points.
That number would have been enough to keep them safe from relegation last season and opens up a 13-point gap to this season’s bottom three, allowing Evertonians to finally look up, rather than down.
Moyes’ second reign at Goodison Park may only be seven games old in all competitions, but the way in which he’s galvanised the whole club, players and fans alike, that all-round praise is certainly justified.
Martin Keown makes huge David Moyes claim at Everton
Speaking on talkSPORT (17 February, 11:37am), Martin Keown and Simon Jordan debated the level of impact Moyes has had since his return to Goodison, with the latter singling out one player as an example.
Keown said: “[Moyes] has been immense. In fact, he’s probably a better manager now than he’s even been.
“To come in and make the changes – and he did make tactical tweaks to the team – he’s lost [Orel] Mangala, he’s lost [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin, and it doesn’t seem to matter, does it?”
“He’s made Beto”, replied Jordan. “Beto looks like he’s going to score every time he gets a chance – whereas before he had a 50p head, didn’t he?”
Keown added: “The guy was playing like a man possessed. Full of confidence.”
David Moyes discovering new lease of life for Everton
Beto is not the only player to have made a marked improvement since Moyes’ return to Merseyside, but having doubled his Premier League tally in just three games under the Scot, it’s one hell of a turnaround.
New signing Carlos Alcaraz‘s winning goal at Selhurst Park on Saturday – coming after Beto made it four goals in his last three to open the scoring – came thanks to Everton flooding the Palace box with bodies.
A massively restrained attacking setup, both in terms of playing style and numbers in the final third, hindered the Toffees under Sean Dyche, and Moyes has certainly changed that thinking.
Centre-back James Tarkowski being far enough forward to volley home and spark bedlam at the Gwladys Street End in last week’s Merseyside Derby is yet another example of this new attacking setup.
Moyes wasn’t seen as a much different manager to Dyche prior to his appointment at Goodison in the 53-year-old’s place last month, but Everton’s results speak for themselves since his return to the club.
With the Blues putting the Premier League relegation battle at arm’s length, and their new stadium move on the horizon, Moyes looks set to lead Evertonians into an exciting new era.