Sean Dyche paid tribute to Dwight McNeil following Everton’s 3-0 home defeat to Premier League champions-in-waiting Manchester City at Goodison Park.
Even a Liverpool legend had kind words to say about the former Burnley winger in midweek.
Dwight McNeil, reunited with his one-time Turf Moor boss Sean Dyche on Merseyside, has been a man performing at the peak of his powers over the last few weeks. A sensational performance during Everton’s 5-1 hammering of Brighton and Hove Albion was one of this season’s finest individual displays.
And while there was to be no repeat of those heroics against a Manchester City side inspired by the beast that is the ‘title run-in Ilkay Gundogan’, McNeil still more than held his own.
Everton lose to Manchester City
“I thought Dwight McNeil was absolutely outstanding,” says Dyche, while also paying tribute to the all-action Abdoulaye Doucoure among others.
“Doucs with his constant energy, constant running…
“I thought Conor Coady did great when he came on. Amadou (Onana) tried to affect the game, Alex Iwobi stuck at it. Everyone is sticking at it.
“I don’t think they’ve seen a lack of energy, a lack of effort or commitment today. The fans, I think they’re an honest group of fans and we want to give them honesty.
“I’ve said that before – we want to give them an honest side that gives them everything.
“I think they saw a team fully committed. They know that we are and now we need to take on these next two games.”
Following Arsenal’s collapse at home to a Brighton side who responded from that Everton mauling in quite staggering style, Manchester City can secure a third straight Premier League title against Chelsea next week.
Everton, meanwhile, are just one place and one point above the relegation zone. The Toffees do, at least, have one of the easier run-ins; Wolves and Bournemouth building sandcastles on the proverbial beach.
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