After transfer worries, Everton have an unlikely new hero — SkimNews
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- Ainsley Maitland-Niles scored on his Everton debut — a spectacular strike in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium — becoming the first Everton player in eight years to score on his debut, having signed on deadline day from Lyon as a right-back replacement for the retired Seamus Coleman.
- David Moyes said of Maitland-Niles: "We didn't know enough about him since we got him in... It was a brilliant goal and a great finish," with the 29-year-old having come on as a substitute and playing less than 20 minutes before heading to the fans.
- Everton had a turbulent final week of the window: the club cancelled Harrison Armstrong's move to Nottingham Forest after supporter backlash, sold Iliman N'Diaye to Manchester City for up to £65m to balance the books, and saw Beto, Nathan Patterson, and a collapsed deal for Monaco's Folarin Balogun leave Moyes with only 18 senior outfield players until January.
- Thierno Barry, Everton's top scorer in all competitions this season, is now being relied upon up front, but has missed four big chances in the Premier League — Wayne Rooney called his display against United "frustrating at times" after he headed over a Merlin Rohl cross.
- Tyrique George, 20, who made his loan move from Chelsea permanent in July, also scored his first Premier League goal — a near-post strike past Senne Lammens — to help preserve Everton's unbeaten start.
- Maitland-Niles had been at Lyon since leaving Arsenal in 2023, making close to 100 Ligue 1 appearances without establishing a clear best position, following loan spells at Ipswich, West Brom, Roma, and Southampton earlier in his career.
Why it matters: Moyes is now navigating the Premier League with a threadbare squad of 18 senior outfield players until January after a transfer window that prioritized balancing the books over reinforcement. With N'Diaye (up to £65m) sold to Manchester City and a Balogun deal collapsed, Everton's attacking output is leaning heavily on Barry — who has already squandered four big chances — and unproven newcomer George, making every goal from an unlikely source like Maitland-Niles disproportionately valuable to their survival bid.
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