In the lead-up to the Subway Series, his first appearance at Yankee Stadium since leaving the New York Yankees for the New York Mets, Juan Soto anticipated that the scene would be "50,000 against one."
As hard as it is to believe, that may have been an understatement.
Over the course of the three-game series—and especially throughout Friday's series-opener—Soto faced a deluge of boos and profane chants from Yankees fans, who even literally turned their backs to the Mets slugger as he jogged out to take his position in right field at one point.
But Mets manager Carlos Mendoza doesn't believe Soto was fazed by the angry mob of Yankees fans.
"I don't think so," Mendoza said. "I said it before the game—he embraced it. He knew what was coming and he didn't change. Even though today was pretty much the only game where we didn't see results. The past couple of games, he was on-base half of the at-bats… You just got to give credit to their pitching staff. Especially a guy like [Max] Fried today.
"But overall, I thought he handled it well. This loud maybe was new but he's an elite player. Only elite players are the ones that are getting booed everywhere they go. I'm pretty sure Boston—I don't think it's going to be as loud as they were here, but he'll hear it."
Soto went 1-for-10 with four walks, a pair of runs scored and one hit across the three games against the Yankees. The Yankees pitching staff appeared to approach Soto cautiously on Friday night, then a bit more aggressively in Sunday's series-finale, in which Soto struck out twice. Soto also chipped in a pair of stolen bases, though he did draw criticism for his apparent lack of hustle on a ground ball to second baseman DJ LeMahieu in the top of the eighth inning.
Thus far in 2025, Soto has posted a .246/.379/.443 slash line with eight home runs, 20 RBI and 33 runs scored. The next time the Mets and Yankees play—on Fourth of July weekend—Soto will be received much more warmly, as the games will be played at Citi Field.
Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola were involved in a tense exchange after Manchester City's dramatic 3-2 win over Leeds United. Phil Foden scored right at the start and the end of the game to secure City all three points but Haaland had an off day for the hosts. And at the full-time whistle, his manager appeared to be trying to console the dejected striker at the Etihad.
Man City hold on for 'wild' win
City looked to be cruising to a comfortable victory on Saturday when Foden gave the home side a first-minute lead before Josko Gvardiol doubled their advantage. Second-half goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha set up a dramatic finale, before Foden grabbed the winner in stoppage-time. After the contest, the England international admitted he had not been in many games like that, with the 25-year-old also stressing they are not out of this Premier League title race.
"It's up there as one of the wildest games. We had full control in the first half. They changed their system in the second half and we couldn't get going," he said. "It was a frustrating half. But when there was a short break the manager got us together and we adapted to their formation. We had a few half chances and finally I've found a bit of space and found the bottom of the net. There are still things we can improve. We're delighted with the result. The title race is never straightforward. There's always ups and downs and periods where you can't seem to get going and we've had that. The belief and togetherness came through at the end. Hopefully that's the case today that we can kick on from here. But you never know what to expect. I was so hungry today to play and prove to myself I could still score goals. I missed a few chances against Newcastle and wanted to put it right."
AdvertisementHaaland consoled by Guardiola
While City got the crucial three points, this was the third game in a row where Haaland hasn't scored for the club, albeit he is still the league's top scorer (14) by far. As fans filtered out of the stadium, the Norwegian international cut a frustrated figure, prompting Guardiola to try and console him.
Guardiola backs Haaland
The former Borussia Dortmund man is still waiting for his 100th City goal. However, Guardiola knows it will not be long before he reaches that milestone.
"He will do it. He will do it in the next game," Guardiola said with a smile. "Just we talk about rest. He has a huge body. Minutes, minutes, in that moment you’re fresh. Rest [is] not just the legs [pointing to his head]. It's not like Phil [Foden] or Jeremy [Doku], they can rest. Erling is a big man. We need him so much."
The former Bayern Munich manager admitted this game was a "struggle" for his side, but gave credit to Leeds for how they improved in the second half. He also heaped praise on Foden for his brace, with the playmaker returning to something near his best form.
"After Daniel [Farke] changed shape, long balls to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha running behind, it was always a struggle. That emotion is part of the football. We had the chances and at the end finally we found our goal," he added. "It's not the first time we saw that. A thousand, thousand, million times he’s [Foden] done it. The quality, shooting, strong. Like his goal against West Ham to win the Premier League. Phil has to be around the box. Shoot or pass. His finishing is so quick. Phil is doing a really good season."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Haaland's Man City?
City, who are up to second in the Premier League, will hope they can build on this victory when they travel to Fulham on Tuesday night. Guardiola's side were beaten by Newcastle United last weekend and then fell to a shock defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, so this Leeds win comes at the right time. Incidentally, not many would be surprised if Haaland ends this mini dry spell next time out.
New South Wales collapsed from 123 for 2 in the chase with Benji Floros taking four wickets and Labuschagne a pair
AAP03-Nov-2025Marnus Labuschagne made it five centuries in eight innings for Queensland to start the summer, after helping them to a 96-run One-Day Cup win over New South Wales.Labuschagne hit 101 from 111 balls at Sydney’s Cricket Central on Monday, leading Queensland to 287 for 9 before NSW were all out for 191 in reply.All but certain to return to Australia’s Test team for the Ashes this month, Labuschagne will enter the series as the form batter in the country. Axed from Australia’s side midway through the year, Labuschagne is back playing with the same intent that made him the world’s best batter as recently as 2023.The 31-year-old is clipping the ball off his toes again with precision, driving well, and on Monday swept legspinner Tanveer Sangha for three fours. He also hit Sangha over long-off for a big six, on a day when the spinner was otherwise NSW’s best with 3 for 64 having been released for Australia’s T20I squad for the match.Labuschagne’s near-chanceless century marked his third this season in the one-day format, where he is currently outside of Australia’s first-choice XI.He has also hit two centuries in the Sheffield Shield for Queensland, with all of the hundreds coming batting at No. 3. But it is expected he will be asked to open in the first Test against England in Perth, in a move that will allow allrounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster to both fit in the team.In reply, NSW were never really in the chase on Monday, but Sam Konstas did hit a measured 47 before being caught behind when he gloved a hook shot off Benji Floros.Floros had Jack Edwards caught behind next ball in similar fashion, before finishing with 4 for 22 in his best outing for Queensland.Labuschagne also claimed two wickets with his medium pace, with Chris Green skying an attempted pull shot, before Sangha fell lbw.
It’s been an incredible week to be an Arsenal fan.
On Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side demolished Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.
And then, if that wasn’t enough, the Gunners brushed aside the excellent Bayern Munich to go top of the Champions League table.
There were sensational performances across the pitch for Arsenal, including from someone who is becoming something of a hybrid between Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka.
Eze & Saka's performances vs Bayern
While the likes of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber are getting most of the praise following Wednesday night, and rightly so, Saka also put in a performance to be proud of.
Now, it’s true that he didn’t get on the scoresheet himself, but he did provide the assist for the opening goal and was a constant threat throughout his time on the pitch.
At certain points, he had to deal with three Bayern players on his own, but still managed to create two big chances, complete three of four crosses, take one shot on target and recover the ball twice.
It’s clear that the Hale End superstar is still not quite at his very best, but even without a goal to his name, he’s impacting games in a big way.
Likewise, Eze didn’t score a fourth goal in two games, but once again showed why he is one of the best number tens around against the German giants.
It was just before the visitors scored that he helped create a chance with some tidy footwork, only for him to just overhit the pass into Saka.
Then in the second half, every time he had the ball at his feet, he was looking to do something positive.
It was this mindset that saw him play an excellent ball over the top for Gabriel Martinelli to knock around Manuel Neuer and secure all three points.
Overall, Saka and Eze weren’t necessarily the best players on the pitch against Bayern, but they put in strong performances, and now it looks like Arsenal have a player who is becoming a hybrid of both.
Arsenal's Saka & Eze hybrid
With Saka undoubtedly being Arsenal’s most important player and Eze proving to be one of their best signings from the summer, a player would have to be pretty special to be described as a hybrid of the two.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Fortunately, despite certain sections of the fanbase clearly thinking otherwise in the summer, Noni Madueke has proven himself to be just that.
Now, nobody is saying the former Chelsea ace is as good as his compatriots, but he certainly shares some similarities with them.
For example, like the former Palace star, he is someone who can make something happen from nothing.
Granted, that hasn’t necessarily translated into a goal or assist this season, but he is such a direct attacker that, with the ball at his feet, he can make opposition defenders panic.
Moreover, like the 27-year-old, given his ability to make something of nothing, Arteta seems to have given him more freedom to try things on the ball.
Arsenal writer Adam Keys perhaps put it best when, after his goal against Bayern, he described the 23-year-old as an “agent of chaos,” which is just the sort of player the North Londoners have been missing in recent years.
Expected Assists
0.26
0.27
Progressive Passes Received
12.9
12.4
Key Passes
2.29
2.21
Live Passes
32.9
33.5
Tackles Won
0.57
0.58
Successful Take-On %
42.1%
40.5%
Carries
26.9
29.5
Now, when it comes to Saka, the similarities come down to their left-footedness, their close control, and the fact that FBref ranked the Hale Ender as the sixth-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to Madueke in Europe’s top five leagues.
The best way to understand how they came to this conclusion is to look at the underlying metrics they rank closely in, metrics like expected assists, key passes, tackles won, successful take-on percentage and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, while his signing was not universally celebrated across the fanbase, Madueke has proven himself to be a more than useful player for Arsenal, and the fact that he shares so many traits with Saka and Eze can only be a good thing.
As good as Rice: Arsenal star has proven he's one of the best "in the world"
The outrageous Arsenal star was as good as Declan Rice in the Champions League victory over Bayern Munich.
The 2025 MLB season is only a few games old, but it has not been kind to slugging Boston Red Sox DH Rafael Devers.
Devers is coming off a strangely controversial spring training in which he seemed to publicly go back and forth with manager Alex Cora about whether or not he'd play third base. Ahead of Opening Day Cora declared officially that Devers would be the team's full-time designated hitter going forward. Whether it's the change or the weird vibes surrounding it, Devers has struggled mightily to adjust. To a historic degree, as a matter of fact.
In the first three games of the Red Sox's season, Devers has had 12 at-bats. He has recorded zero hits in those at-bats. Worse, he's struck out 10 times. And with his 10th strikeout on Saturday in Boston's loss to the Texas Rangers, Devers became the first player in MLB history to strike out 10 times in the first three games of the year, per ESPN.
Baseball players go through slumps all the time. This isn't to say the Red Sox should start ringing alarm bells. But as far as slumps go, this one is . Devers can't even get wood on the ball right now, a shocking sight given he had 28 home runs and knocked in 83 RBI in 2024.
Not exactly what the Red Sox are looking for from their $300 milion hitter, that's for sure.
England opted not to risk Jofra Archer given the conditions once the game was shortened
Vithushan Ehantharajah10-Sep-2025Harry Brook will not read too much into “a bit of a shambles of a night” in Cardiff as England lost a truncated first T20I against South Africa.Just 12.5 overs were possible at Sophia Gardens as persistent showers delayed the start by more than two hours. Play eventually began at 8:50pm for a nine-over match. Having won the toss and elected to bowl, Brook watched on as a powerful South Africa batting card smashed 97 for 5 from 7.5 overs before rain curtailed their innings. That downpour subsequently gave England an adjusted chase of 69 in five overs, of which they fell 15 short.Related
England 304 for 2; Salt 141* sets up crushing 146-run victory
Luke Wood grasps latest chance on wet night in Cardiff
Past, present and future of English spin unite
South Africa beat England and the rain to leave Cardiff 1-0 up
England opted to remove Jofra Archer from their XI announced on Tuesday on safety grounds, after ruling conditions were too risky for their prized fast bowler. Luke Wood was the late replacement, earning his eighth T20I cap, and was the pick of the home attack with 2 for 22.”It was a bit of a shambles really, wasn’t it?” said Brook, whose 0 from four deliveries was his first duck in T20Is. “You can’t take much from that. There was so much going on. They got nine overs, we got five overs. You can’t take much from it.”It was a long, long day. I don’t think we need to make any excuses up. We probably didn’t execute as well as we should have done with bat and ball. It’s bloody hard when you only bat for five overs.”Brook stopped short of saying the match should not have gone ahead: “That’s not for me to decide, that’s for the umpires or the match referee. We just try to do what we can on the field.”However, the decision to park Archer was an admission of the risk involved, particularly given the amount of time and money invested to get the 30-year-old back playing all international formats this summer ahead of the winter’s Ashes. Brook even cited Adam Hose’s horrific ankle injury sustained during The Hundred as a worse-case scenario had Archer played.”It would have been stupid to play him with the amount of cricket we’ve got coming up,” said Brook. “If he’d have gone out in the boundary and done what Adam Hose did in The Hundred and broken his leg or whatever, that would have been a shambles.”As soon as we knew that the game was shortened, we didn’t think it was quite necessary for Jof to play. Obviously, the outfield was sodden and he’s got a lot of cricket to play in the next few months with a big series coming up. So, yeah, we, we decided to not play him.”
Former Al-Nassr forward Anderson Talisca has branded Cristiano Ronaldo "the best in history" while opening up on his experience of sharing a dressing room with the Portuguese legend. Talisca and Ronaldo played together at Al-Nassr for two years before the Brazilian attacker left for Turkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce in January.
Talisca and Ronaldo's partnership at Al-Nassr
Talisca started his career in his homeland at Bahia before moving to Portugal, where he spent four years with Benfica. In between, he had played in Turkey briefly on loan at Besiktas. In 2018, he joined Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande. After three years in China, Talisca moved to Saudi Arabia and signed for Al-Nassr.
He quickly became a talisman for Al-Nassr, but had to give up the spotlight when Ronaldo arrived on a free transfer in January 2023. Al-Nassr also brought in Sadio Mane in the subsequent summer transfer window. Talisca formed one third of a stellar attacking trio at Al-Nassr alongside Ronaldo and Mane and won the Arab Club Championship in 2023.
Talisca decided to head back to Turkey at the start of the year to work under Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce, but looks back on his time playing with Ronaldo fondly.
AdvertisementAFPRonaldo branded 'best in history'
Speaking to , Talisca said of his relationship with Ronaldo: "It was an incredible two years. When he arrived, I had already been there for two years. I spent four years at the club, an incredible story. Playing with him was surreal, it was a dream for me. For me, he is the best in history.
"We trained together and did incredible things. Working with him, for me, as an athlete and as a human being, was about maximising the athlete's potential, being more professional, caring more about himself. It was incredible."
Ronaldo facing suspension
Ronaldo is currently taking a break from club duties at Al-Nassr, but did not enjoy a happy return to the Portugal national team. He was sent off during Portugal’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin last Thursday for elbowing Irish defender Dara O’Shea. FIFA rules state a three-match suspension be used as punishment in the event of a straight red card. Ronaldo thusly sat out Portugal's final qualifying encounter against Armenia, which they won 9-0 to book a place at the World Cup. Ronaldo is also in danger of sitting out Portugal's first two games at the tournament, but the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) is preparing a formal plea to FIFA, hoping to bring the suspension down to a single game – according to .
Their argument primarily hinges on three pillars. The first centres on the atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium, which the federation describes as "hostile". They argue that it was influenced by Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson’s provocative comments on the eve of the match. Ahead of the game, he suggested Ronaldo had "controlled the referee" during Portugal’s 1-0 win in the reverse fixture last month.
Secondly, the FPF are planning to highlight the physical grappling between O’Shea and Ronaldo leading up to the red card, arguing the striker reacted instinctively after being physically provoked repeatedly inside the box. Finally, they will present Ronaldo’s impeccable disciplinary record at international level. The legendary forward had gone 225 matches without a single red card, which the FPF thinks is compelling evidence that Thursday’s incident was an isolated one and had no malicious intent.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GettyRonaldo's purple patch for Al-Nassr
After failing to win a major trophy in the first two and a half years at the club, Ronaldo is determined to get his hands on some silverware this term. Accordingly, the club have signed star players like Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman to bolster the attack and provide Ronaldo with more service. The ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid star has himself got off to a flying start as he has scored 10 goals in 11 matches across all competitions.
He will be back in action for Al-Nassr this Sunday as they take on Al-Khaleej in an important Saudi Pro League clash.
A recent report suggested that there are just four players deemed to be unsellable this summer at Manchester United, with almost the entire squad at risk of being shown the door, should a suitable offer arrive.
Unsurprisingly – despite recent interest from Saudi Arabia – talismanic captain, Bruno Fernandes is among that select quartet, with the 30-year-old only recently lauded as “one of the top players in the world” by compatriot, Ruben Amorim.
20-year-old wing-back Patrick Dorgu was also named, having only joined the club from Lecce in January, while man of the moment Harry Maguire appears to be another set to stay put, having been described as “perfect” for the 3-4-3 system by his manager.
The final name mentioned on that list was a player who only recently signed a new bumper contract extension, with Amad Diallo committing his future to the club until the summer of 2030.
Previously something of a bit-part player in previous regimes, the returning Ivorian now looks set to be front and centre under Amorim – and deservedly so.
Amad's record under Ten Hag vs under Amorim
There was a feeling that Amad’s chance would never come at Old Trafford, with the former Atalanta wonderkid having actually signed as far back as October 2020, before eventually arriving just a few months.
An inventive header against AC Milan on debut showcased a mere glimpse of why United had forked out an initial fee of £19m, albeit with the then-teenager going on to play just eight games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s watch.
Sent out on loan to Rangers and then Sunderland, Amad’s subsequent return to the first-team squad was halted by injury on the pre-season tour in 2023, with Erik ten Hag seemingly hesitant to unleash the forward even when he was back to full fitness for the start of 2024.
While last season ended on a high with his first Premier League goal against Newcastle United, having netted the winner in the FA Cup thriller against Liverpool, he never seemingly earned the faith of the Dutchman, having again slipped behind Antony in the attacking pecking order prior to Ten Hag’s dismissal.
Reinvigorated during Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim spell, which yielded two goals, the £120k-per-week winger has also been a shining light following Amorim’s arrival, having chalked up an assist from wing-back for the first goal of the Portuguese’s tenure against Ipswich Town.
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Erik ten Hag
24
3
3
Ruben Amorim
22
7
6
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
8
1
1
Ruud van Nistelrooy
4
2
1
Ralf Rangnick
1
0
0
Michael Carrick
0
0
0
Total
59
13
10
High-profile goals have since followed against the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, alongside a blistering hat-trick against Southampton, with Sunday’s consolation strike against Brentford marking his 13th goal involvement in just 22 outings under the new boss.
Injury had hampered his progress between February and April, but fit and firing again, Amad will be crucial over the coming weeks, and potentially years.
That said, it is exciting to suggest that an even bigger attacking talent could be on their way to Manchester this summer…
Man Utd could sign an even bigger talent than Amad
The last year or so has marked a real rise for Amad in a United shirt, having stepped into the limelight and stayed there, seemingly unburdened by the pressures that have shackled far too many before him.
Amad Diallo
A refreshingly positive and front-foot player, the diminutive wideman is a talent that gets the crowd off their feet. The next challenge, however, is to find real consistency, particularly on the Premier League front.
That is a quality that reported summer target, Bryan Mbeumo has showcased in abundance, with the Cameroon international having enjoyed a simply stunning campaign for the Bees in 2024/25.
Recent reports have claimed that the Red Devils are eyeing a potential move for the £60m-rated sensation this summer, with interest also being shown in another shining top-flight talent, Matheus Cunha.
It is Mbeumo, however, who has eclipsed both Cunha and Amad – as indicated below – with the France-born speedster racking up 18 goals and six assists in the league this season. To put that into perspective, not even Marcus Rashford has reached 18 goals in a Premier League campaign in his career so far.
Games
23
30
35
Goals
7
15
18
Assists
6
6
6
Big chances created
5
12
16
Key passes*
1.7
1.8
1.8
Pass accuracy*
85%
79%
74%
Successful dribbles*
1.7
1.9
1.3
Possession lost*
10.8
15.7
17.0
Fouls won*
1.0
2.3
1.2
That record of 16 ‘big chances’ created also outlines just what a weapon Mbeumo has been under Thomas Frank, with not even United’s creative hub, Fernandes, able to better that tally (14), as per Sofascore.
There’s no denying that this has been by far Mbeumo’s best season since Brentford’s promotion, although that’s not to say he hasn’t impressed previously, having registered 67 goals and assists in 140 appearances in the competition – including 18 goals in 2022/23 and 2023/24 combined.
Amad, meanwhile, has just eight goals and eight assists in the Premier League to date – albeit from only 35 games – with Mbeumo something of the benchmark when it comes to the very best that the division has to offer.
Simply “unplayable” on his day, in the words of Frank, the former Troyes man would be a worthy option as a number nine, a number ten or even in a wing-back berth, with the potential there for him to emerge as United’s new attacking figurehead.
Dream for Bruno: Man Utd ready bid for £60m star who's "similar to Isak"
Man Utd could be set to supply Bruno Fernandes with an elite-level striker
Manchester United are now eyeing a shock move to sign an “unbeatable” goalkeeper for a bargain £17m fee in the summer transfer window, according to a report.
Man Utd drawing up goalkeeper shortlist
Andre Onana has put in some very disappointing performances as of late, with his late blunder against Lyon last Thursday night costing his side a crucial away win in the Europa League quarter-final, and Man United have now started to draw up a list of replacements.
FC Porto’s Diogo Costa has been named as a leading candidate to replace Onana, but with the Portugal international protected by a £64m release clause in his contract, the Red Devils will have to pay a hefty sum if they are to get a deal over the line.
As such, United could look at some cheaper alternatives, and they have also joined the race for Angers shot-stopper Yahia Fofana, who is attracting widespread interest from the Premier League, having put in some impressive performances in Ligue 1 this season.
Offer made: Man Utd now lead rivals in race for "incredible" £30m striker
There has been a positive development in Man United’s pursuit of a forward…
ByDominic Lund Apr 16, 2025
Fofana may cost just £15m this summer, making the Ivory Coast international an affordable option, and the same applies to Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, with Man United now interested in a shock move for their former academy player, who spent 18 months in the acadmey between 2014 and 2016.
That is according to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), which states Milinkovic-Savic has a release clause of just €20m (£17m), which is set to become active at the end of July.
Torino'sVanjaMilinkovic-Savicduring the warm up
Torino owner Urbano Cairo is eager to receive the full amount, but United believe the goalkeeper’s value is around €12m (£10m), so the two clubs may still be some way apart, and there could be competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Chelsea.
"Unbeatable" Milinkovic-Savic impressing in Italy
The 28-year-old is enjoying a very impressive campaign in the Serie A, having been lauded as “unbeatable” for his record of saving penalties, while he has also looked very solid in general play.
The Serbian ranks extremely highly on a number of key metrics for goalkeepers over the past year, and he places in the top 2% for touches per 90, indicating he is composed in possession of the ball, which may be of key significance to Ruben Amorim.
Statistic
Average per 90
Save percentage
78.7% (95th percentile)
Goals against
1.06 (83rd percentile)
Touches
48.0 (98th percentile)
Save percentage (penalties)
57.1% (92nd percentile)
Amorim has confirmed that Onana will start for United against Lyon in the crucial Europa League encounter on Thursday evening, but the Cameroonian could be running out of chances, having been dropped for Altay Bayindir against Newcastle United last weekend.
Should the former Inter Milan man fail to make major improvements between now and the end of the season, it seems likely Amorim will bring in a replacement, having identified a number of targets, and Milinkovic-Savic has proven he could be a fantastic choice.
David Moyes has turned Goodison Park into a fortress, with Everton’s hard-fought draw against Arsenal marking the sixth Premier League game in a row that defeat has been avoided on home turf.
Everton were breached after a prickly opening half hour when Raheem Sterling played Leandro Trossard into space and the Belgian dispatched a cool finish past Jordan Pickford.
Everton managerDavidMoyescelebrates after the match
However, this new version of Everton has confidence in abundance, and Moyes’ half-time team talk appeared to stir his squad into life, for Iliman Ndiaye slotted home from the spot after Myles Lewis-Skelly brought Jack Harrison down in the box.
Ndiaye’s return is significant, sparking attacking zest back into the Toffees team.
Why Iliman Ndiaye's return was important
Ndiaye has probably been Everton’s standout player this season, but he’s missed the past month-and-a-half of action due to injury and has been sorely missed, even though Moyes’ side have done alright.
However, his return to the starting line-up today reminded the Blues of the quality of player they have in their midst, with Ndiaye’s coolly-taken penalty marking his ninth goal of the season.
However, his second-half spot-kick didn’t tell the full tale of the tape, with the Senegal winger also winning six duels and making two tackles, as per Sofascore, to help his team go punch for punch with a combative Arsenal side.
The balance and electricity that he brings to the table will help Moyes’ side to no end over the closing weeks of the campaign.
However, not all of Ndiaye’s teammates can say they matched his levels on Saturday afternoon, with Abdoulaye Doucoure in particular beginning to look like a man playing on borrowed time.
Abdoulaye Doucoure needs to go
Everton are changing scenery this summer, and Doucoure needs to be part of the exodus. Moyes has surprised even himself with the incredible turnaround on Merseyside since he replaced Sean Dyche in January, but with so many first-team players out of contract this summer, there’s plenty to do in the transfer market.
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
The anticipated returns of Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil, who came on for Jack Harrison in the closing stages this afternoon, suggest that Doucoure, who is 32, seemingly declining and entering the last few months of his contract, is set to depart.
Couple that with the winter loan signing of Charly Alcaraz, who will sign on a permanent deal if he features across three of Everton’s last seven games of the season, and it’s clear that Moyes must ensure the veteran is not playing at Bramley Moore.
Minutes played
90′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Touches
22
Shots (on target)
1 (1)
Accurate passes
6/9 (67%)
Key passes
0
Dribbles
0/0
Tackles + interceptions
2
Duels won
3/12
Dribbled past
2x
Against Arsenal, he brought his usual huff and puff and forced David Raya into one second-half save, but it wasn’t enough to suggest he’s got enough left in the tank to play an important part over the coming campaign.
It was a flat and uninspiring performance, Doucoure only completing six passes all game, losing nine of his 12 contested duels and failing to even attempt a dribble.
Given that the Malian midfielder is currently Everton’s highest-paid player at £130k per week, it feels like a no-brainer that he should be cut loose this summer.
Move over Branthwaite: Moyes has now unearthed Everton's new Heitinga
There’s a nostalgic feel to David Moyes’ new Everton unit.