Everton draw no positives from Tim Iroegbunam transfer amid woeful Newcastle display
Tim Iroegbunam was hooked at half-time by David Moyes against Newcastle, and with good reason.
Everton were battered 4-1 by Newcastle at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday in one of the poorest performances under Moyes since his return.
Iroegbunam showed he was out of his depth versus the Magpies, as Everton truly suffered in the absence of Idrissa Gana Gueye.
A poor first-half touch from him led to chaos when the ball fell to Newcastle in the Toffees’ box, allowing Lewis Miley to power in a second for the visitors.
Iroegbunam’s stats from the match reveal just how poor his performance was, despite featuring for only 45 minutes.
Tim Iroegbunam showed his level against Newcastle
Everton signed Iroegbunam from Aston Villa in 2024, and the 22-year-old has failed to establish himself as a consistent first-team starter for the Toffees.
He’s shown nothing but glimpses so far and hasn’t convinced anyone that he can be a midfielder that the Blues can rely on moving forward.
As highlighted by Sofascore, the midfielder made one error that led to a goal, and he only won 50 per cent of his duels.
Iroegbunam had just 28 touches but still managed to make a hugely negative impact for the Toffees with his error, and Moyes made the right call in bringing him off.
It was no coincidence that Everton were better in the second half after his substitution.
To make matters worse, Lewis Dobbin went in the other direction when Everton signed Iroegbunam from Villa, with the former now shining.
Lewis Dobbin is on fire after leaving Everton
Everton moved Dobbin to Aston Villa as Iroegbunam joined the Villans at the same time; while not a straight swap, both transfers were linked, likely due to PSR.
Dobbin came through the ranks at Finch Farm, and Villa took a chance on the winger, who is now thriving on loan at Preston North End in the Championship.
| Matches | Goals | Assists |
| 14 | 4 | 5 |
The 22-year-old always had potential, and Villa have certainly got the best part of the deal, especially if he goes on to thrive in the Premier League.
One thing is for sure, and that is Everton may regret their decision to let Dobbin go, and the Toffees will just have to hope that Iroegbunam improves.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Everton news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @goodisonnews