Moyes’ Magic Touch Lifts Everton To 4-0 Victory Over Leicester.
Just weeks after remarking that he “can’t magician” Everton to scoring goals, manager David Moyes appears to have waved his wand successfully during Saturday’s 4-0 triumph over Leicester City.
In a performance that recalled a touch of wizardry, Everton opened the scoring when Abdoulaye Doucoure found the net after just ten seconds – a moment so instantaneous that Moyes later mused, “After eight seconds, I was thinking ‘my goodness this is fabulous’.” The lead was soon extended by fans’ favourite Iliman Ndiaye, whose goal sealed the thrashing of the Foxes.
Moyes was quick to praise his team, saying:
“The players have just given themselves a bit of confidence and positivity. We are only trying to give them as much confidence as we can. We have got a good strong base defensively and are trying to find ways to score a few more. I am certainly not getting carried away.”
The win, Everton’s third consecutive victory, has seen the Toffees score eight goals in their past three matches. This marks a stark contrast to the era under Sean Dyche, when only three wins were secured in 19 league games and the team failed to score in 11 of those outings.
The result has lifted Everton to 15th in the table, positioning them nine points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand over the sides occupying the bottom four places.
Moyes also lauded the contribution of Beto, who stepped up as Everton’s only fit senior striker after injuries to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti. “I’m really pleased for Beto. The people who have been here much longer than me will know more about Beto. I’m just getting to know him. He is a great kid, works hard in training and tries to improve himself. Sometimes in life, you need an opportunity. Today, he got an opportunity and the reception he got coming off the pitch was as good as we’ve heard here for a long time. Good credit to him – he stuck at it and took his two goals well.”
While some Everton supporters had grown weary of the sometimes turgid and one-dimensional style under previous management, the display on Saturday had the crowd demanding “20 more minutes” as the fourth official’s board was held aloft in stoppage time. At full-time, goalscorer Beto led the celebrations, while Moyes beamed towards the main stand, and the faithful sang the club’s ‘Spirit of the Blues’ anthem long after the final whistle.
Everton now look ahead to their next challenge as they host Merseyside rivals Liverpool on 12 February, a fixture that was postponed in December due to inclement weather. Meanwhile, Leicester manager Dean Smith has acknowledged that his side now faces a ‘mountain to climb’ after the emphatic defeat.
As the Toffees continue to build momentum and score crucial goals, Moyes’ renewed confidence appears to be bearing fruit – a promising sign for the club as they strive to solidify their position in the Premier League.
