Michael Ball: Everton 19-year-old wasn’t helped by this
By Dominic Toner
Michael Ball believes that Everton youngster Ademola Looman didn’t benefit from a recent two-week break from fixtures.
The Toffees enjoyed a interval during the middle of February and returned to action on Saturday in the Premier League, when they beat relegation threatened Sunderland 2-0.
Lookman has managed to force his way into the starting line-up recently and featured on the left wing.
The 19-year-old only moved to Goodison Park in the summer for £11million from Charlton and came with a big reputation as highly rated youngster.
He has managed to settle into the pace of the Premier League quicker than expected and has started the last three consecutive games in the top-flight.
Former Everton defender Ball praised the potential of the emerging star Lookman, but feels the recent break in fixtures won’t have helped his momentum.
“Ademola Lookman is an excellent prospect and he has shown some great touches in his first games and obviously got a goal on his debut,” Ball wrote in his Liverpool Echo column. “He’s an exciting player for the future but you know with young kids you’re not going to get the consistency week in, week out.
“You could argue that the two-week break didn’t help him. It might be the first time in his career that he’s had time off like that between games.”
Lookman made the perfect debut when he came on against Manchester City in the 4-0 win as he helped himself to a late goal.
The England Under-20 international has been trusted by Ronald Koeman to come straight into the first-team, despite playing at League One Charlton in the first half of the season.
He will hope to retain his place in the starting XI for the next game as they travel to White Hart Lane to play second-placed Tottenham.
Everton are chasing a top four spot and are six points adrift, but are unbeaten in their last nine league games.
In other Everton news, Jamie Carragher has made a bold prediction about the club.
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