BBC pundit wowed by Everton star ‘you can’t take your eyes off’ vs Man City
David Moyes was grinning from ear to ear while watching one of his stars cause plenty of issues against Man City.
Jack Grealish was unavailable for Everton due to not being allowed to play against his parent club, but the Toffees continued to cause issues at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, 18 October.
Sadly, it was not enough for the visitors to get anything out of the game, but for a team who were battling against relegation for the start of last season, Moyes will not be concerned by the performance.
Erling Haaland returned from international duty early, and it was the Norwegian international who continued his incredible goalscoring record to bag twice in five second-half minutes.
However, Pat Nevin was quick to mention one of the brightest members of the opposition.
Iliman Ndiaye stars against Man City without Jack Grealish
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, transcribed by BBC Sport (18 October, 4:06pm), Nevin said: “We’ve had chances either side, most of them to Man City, but Everton will be pleased, some very good play from them.
“You can’t take your eyes off Ndiaye. He is one of those players, if you are not supporting either team, you are thinking – ‘Can I see him on the ball again, please?’
“The man who needs to make the changes is Guardiola. Moyes had a spring in his step walking down the tunnel.”
| Iliman Ndiaye vs Man City | Stats [FotMob] |
| Minutes played | 86 |
| Passing accuracy | 84% (21/25) |
| Chances created (Big chances) | 2 (1) |
| Touches in opposition box | 4 |
| Tackles won | 100% (3/3) |
| Ground duels entered (Won) | 14 (5) |
Without Grealish, Ndiaye was by far the most dangerous player for the Toffees. His numbers speak volumes against a high-flying Man City team.
Ndiaye’s performance in numbers as Everton face defeat
With three tackles won, Ndiaye was a nightmare to deal with at both ends of the pitch, and the Senegal international was extremely unlucky not to get more out of his performance in the final third.
He also jumped into 14 ground duels, throwing himself into every challenge while also pushing his team up the pitch, and Moyes will be thrilled with the performance.
His teammates, ultimately, let him down in front of goal, but with the striker position shared between Beto and Thierno Barry, there is little that Moyes can do to change their fortunes.
The Toffees are 10th in the Premier League table after eight matches, and ahead of games against Tottenham, Sunderland, and Fulham, the manager will be hoping for more points on the board.