Everton beat Sunderland 3-0 in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton celebrates scoring against Sunderland
Everton manager Ronald Koeman has told the Liverpool Echo that he felt Oumar Niasse’s strike against Sunderland was ‘a great goal’ as he grasped his chance with both hands.
The Toffees desperately needed a victory having lost 3-0 to Tottenham, 3-0 to Atalanta and 4-0 to Manchester United in September, and they got the win they wanted over Championship side Everton.
In a much-rotated side, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin stole the headlines with two goals to put Everton 2-0 up, before Oumar Niasse came off the bench to add a late third.
Oumar Niasse (#19)
Niasse may have joined Everton from Lokomotiv Moscow in January 2016, but that was his first competitive goal for the Toffees after a bizarre up-and-down tale for the Senegal international.
The 27-year-old was a big-money signing under Roberto Martinez over 18 months ago, but barely played in his first six months as he struggled to hit full fitness following his move from Russia.
Koeman then froze Niasse out, not giving him a squad number or even a locker in the changing rooms as he banished him to the Under-21’s, before sending him on loan to Hull in January, where he scored five times in 19 games.
Niasse returned to Everton with little chance of saving his career at Goodison Park, but Everton’s failure to sign a striker and Niasse’s failure to seal a move away mean that the striker is now in line for another chance to lead the line for Koeman.
This remarkable turnaround continued with Niasse’s goal against Sunderland, and manager Koeman told the Liverpool Echo that he felt Niasse’s strike was a ‘perfect goal’, backing him to prove his a part of the Everton team after a ‘difficult situation’.
“It was a great goal. A great goal,” said Koeman. “His first touch from his chest and the finish with his right foot was great. It was a perfect goal. Everyone knows it was a difficult situation for him but it is about taking your chance when you get an opportunity. He showed tonight that he is part of the team.”
“You pick the player up and you put the player in the team – and he gave that confidence to the team in a difficult moment for them and maybe he does not feel that pressure and that makes him more even more dangerous for opponents,” he added.
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