Tyler Dibling caught in ‘shameless’ incident in Everton draw vs Burnley
Tyler Dibling was the pick of the Everton bunch against Burnley, but he didn’t escape Turf Moor without fault on Saturday.
Everton drew 0-0 with Burnley on 27 December, in what was a frustrating day at the office for David Moyes‘ rotated team.
With Jack Grealish missing through illness and Iliman Ndiaye away at AFCON, Dibling finally got his chance to shine after limited opportunities since arriving.
Everton had a major penalty shout when Dibling’s shot struck Jaidon Anthony’s arm with minutes to play in the game, but both Craig Pawson and VAR somehow agreed that it wasn’t a handball offence.
In the end, the draw against Burnley raised further questions over transfer failings from the Friedkin Group, as Everton could only muster six shots on target against the relegation-stricken Clarets.
Tyler Dibling noted for ‘shameless’ Burnley moment
Dibling looked the most likely of any Everton player to come up with something to break the deadlock against Burnley, on what was only the teenager’s second Premier League start of the season.
But the summer signing from Southampton put a slight stain on his otherwise excellent individual performance late on.
The 19-year-old took out his frustration on not being awarded a penalty for that aforementioned handball incident, as he brought down Anthony to prevent him from breaking away down the pitch.
It was a cynical foul, and one that was rightly punished with a yellow card as it prevented a dangerous Burnley counter-attack from developing.
Writing in the print edition of the Mail on Sunday, journalist Luke Power said of Dibling’s performance and that Anthony foul: “Tyler Dibling was Everton’s most effervescent player, in place of Ndiaye, and looked like the £42million star Everton signed from Southampton.
“It is puzzling that he has had to wait this long for his second league start, and the 19-year-old played with panache. He was unlucky not to give Everton the lead with two chances in the first half.
“Completing two dribbles, he had Lucas Pires on toast so often that Burnley sometimes doubled up to try to stop his chicanery. His second half was more muted, and he was booked for a shameless pull on Jaidon Anthony.”
Dibling may have to wait until next season to flourish at Everton
Whilst Ndiaye remains at AFCON, Dibling should keep his place in Everton’s starting XI.
However, once Everton’s talisman returns, and indeed Grealish shakes off his injury problem, then it will revert to being tough for Moyes to justify keeping those two out of his Toffees team.
- Dibling completed the most dribbles of any player against Burnley with four
- He finished with an 88 per cent passing accuracy, whilst creating two chances
- Dibling won 60 per cent of his ground duels, and took three touches in Burnley’s box – per FotMob
Therefore, Dibling may have to wait until next season to truly blossom into a key player at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Grealish is only on loan from Manchester City, and it remains to be seen whether Everton will trigger their reported £50m option to buy him in the summer.
Meanwhile, Ndiaye could be set for an Everton exit in the near future, with many top clubs sure to be circling the Senegalese star.
So, if those two players aren’t around for Everton next term, then that could provide Dibling with the pathway to regular starting football on Merseyside.
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