‘He will go into the dressing room’: Michael Owen blasts £15m Everton star v Liverpool

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Michael Owen blasted Neal Maupay after he missed a guilt-edge chance to score during Everton’s goalless draw against Liverpool on Saturday.

The former striker shared his pet hate of people saying ‘oh, he hit the target’, which Maupay did as his shot from point-blank range, which was saved by Alisson Becker in the second-half of yesterday’s fiery encounter at Goodison Park, as he told Premier League Productions (03/09/22 at 2:40 pm).

Maupay secured a £15 million transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion to Everton during the 2022 summer transfer window (BBC Sport) and he had a great chance to open his account in fine style.

It was a swift and aggressive counter-attack from Frank Lampard’s men, but when the ball was played to Maupay in the penalty area, he hit the ball straight at Alisson in between the sticks.

Owen wasn’t impressed by Maupay’s efforts and how he didn’t have the ‘courage’ to do something different other than just hitting the target.

“It came to him quite quick, which is why he didn’t hit it the first time,” said Owen. “Once he takes a touch, that’s one of the reasons why I hate it when people say ‘oh, he hit the target’ because that’s what he just did.

“I mean he will go into the dressing room and say ‘I hit the target’. You are against Alisson. You are against Liverpool. You have to do better than that. You have to find the corner.

“You have to have the courage to dink him, go through his legs or slot it, not just go down his throat. That’s why I always hate that phrase ‘you have to hit the target’.”

LAMPARD STILL SEARCHING FOR HIS FIRST WIN

The draws are starting to stack up for Lampard, but not the wins, as Everton and Lampard search for their first three points of the new Premier League season.

The Toffees have four points from their six matches and if they can get the wins on the board from their next few games, then those draws will look much, much better.

But it’s not going to be easy for Everton because they travel to the Emirates to take on Arsenal next Sunday – Mikel Arteta’s side are sitting top of the Premier League table.

Perhaps going into that match as the underdogs might help Lampard’s players because they proved that type of game suits them in the Merseyside derby, which was their best performance of the season so far.