Martin Keown goes against the grain after what he’s heard said about Everton star Beto
Martin Keown praised Beto as responded to the criticism he has faced this season by scoring a crucial goal in Everton’s 3-2 win over Newcastle at St James’ Park
The Guinea-Bissau international has been incredibly poor at times, and David Moyes was willing to let him leave Everton.
He had been linked with a move away from Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Juventus being one of the teams that were firmly interested.
Beto ultimately stayed in L4, and during Saturday’s victory, he proved exactly why he still has what it takes to be an effective striker under Moyes, with Keown praising him during the match.
Martin Keown jumps to Beto’s defence after scoring vs Newcastle
The Magpies had just equalised through Jacob Ramsey to make it 1-1 in the first half, but Beto fired home from close range to re-establish a lead for the Toffees.
Dwight McNeil’s long-range strike was spilled by Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope, and the 28-year-old was the quickest on the scene to make no mistake from the rebound.
Although Beto hit the bar with a gilt-edged chance in the second half, the stats from Sofascore show that this was a much-improved performance, and he has undoubtedly sent a message to Moyes that he must start consistently.
| Stat | Beto |
| Minutes played | 74 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Ground duels won | 78% |
| Aerial duels won | 50% |
| Touches | 35 |
Speaking on BBC’s Final Score, Keown defended the number nine and believes he has been unfairly criticised at times.
He said: “I just wanted to give a compliment to Beto because everyone seems to have a little bit of a go at him.
“He was involved in the build-up, and when the shot from McNeil comes off the keeper. It is poor from Pope, but he is the only one reacting.
“There should be defenders there, but they’re not; Beto is there first.”
While Keown may have a point, Beto has still been incredibly underwhelming, and his chances of starting Tuesday’s game against Burnley aren’t very high.
Thierno Barry also proves his worth to David Moyes
Having come on to help the Toffees see out the game, Newcastle’s 82nd-minute equaliser meant that he was tasked with scoring the winner.
And that he did, scoring with his backside after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall squared it to him in the six-yard box.
He has now scored six times in the top flight this season, and although fans will still want to see more from him, it’s clear that he has the potential to grow into a top-class striker.
Barry has shown Moyes that he can be trusted in big games, and after being rested for the majority of today’s game, he’ll likely lead the line at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday.
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