Ashley Young is angry by the odd refereeing as Everton’s squad number uncertainty persists.
An assessment of some of the key moments and lessons from Everton’s visit to Bramall Lane that may have gone unnoticed.
It may take some time to determine the full worth of Everton’s point at Sheffield United.
Speaking after the game, Sean Dyche found advantages in his team getting off to a good start this season, but he was disappointed that the performance, which he was delighted with, did not lead to more.
Everton had two chances to capitalize on the energy produced by Abdoulaye Doucoure’s opening, and when Arnaut Danjuma pulled them level, they were unable to convert the strong start to the second half into a decisive third goal. There was also a scare: Jordan Pickford’s late heroics kept the home side from clinching a triumph that Dyche considered a “injustice.”
After the dust has settled on a tense 99-minute period at Bramall Lane, here are a few alternate moments and talking points from the 2-2 draw.
Which number will Jack Harrison be wearing?
This has been a lingering question since Jack Harrison’s loan transfer several weeks ago. Harrison wore the number 11 with Leeds United, and the number is part of his Twitter/X account. Demarai Gray had that number last year and it appeared that he would keep it – no mention of a change was made when Everton released new numbers for James Tarkowski, Nathan Patterson, and Nearai Maupay.
The Sheffield United programme identified Harrison as number 11; the Everton team list did not even include Gray. This was the first time Harrison was recorded as 30, having previously been numberless at Doncaster Rovers. Meanwhile, he remains number one on the club’s website, while Gray is number eleven. With Dyche stating Gray would be part of his plans despite being connected elsewhere during the summer, it will be intriguing to see how this is addressed. However, less than 24 hours following Dyche’s remarks,
Gray was seen on social media questioning his manager. The transfer window in Saudi Arabia, where he is wanted, is still open.
With a smile, Seamus Coleman and Tom Davies reconcile.
Tom Davies left Everton this summer after 14 years with the club, which he joined as a teenager. The 25-year-old turned rejected a new contract to join the Blades, albeit he did not play against the Blues while he works on his fitness. Davies has been with the club for around the same amount of time as Seamus Coleman, who is also still injured. Despite neither being available to play, the couple were both in attendance in Sheffield, and they could be seen talking and smiling with each other before the game.
Young was perplexed by the referee’s actions in the Sheffield United box.
Ashley Young became agitated during a weird dispute with referee Andy Madley early in the second half. Beto had placed the ball into Danjuma’s path, and the Dutch international had scooped it up and forced a free-kick in a decent position just outside the area. Danjuma lined up to take it, which was an intriguing development given that Young and James Garner were both on the field, with Young in particular boasting a highlight reel of free-kick goals.
Instead, Young was in the box, disputing with Madley, who sprayed a white line on the field but seemed satisfied to let the home team stand in front of it. The situation finished with two lines sprayed on the grass, the wall standing considerably ahead of the first one, and Danjuma firing directly into it.
Pickford is the first to praise his latest spectacular save.
Pickford’s late double save helped Everton salvage a point. While the value of a point is debatable, a loss would have been disastrous, leaving Everton without a point heading into the international break and extending the club’s worst start to a Premier League season. Pickford, on the other hand, demonstrated his tremendous significance to Everton once more, first deflecting Oli McBurnie’s header onto the bar and then lurching upwards in time to stop the rebound effort with his face.
Pickford is an engaging character on the field, and his celebrations after huge saves have frequently drew attention. The TV cameras picked him up as he covered the ball in Sheffield, taking a minute to watch his own actions with a nodding smirk.
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