Moyes Eases Ndiaye Fears as Everton Pegged Back at Sunderland

Everton had to settle for a point at the Stadium of Light, and while the scoreboard reads 1-1, the headline was Iliman Ndiaye — a blistering solo finish, a scare, and a sigh of relief. David Moyes insists the forward’s withdrawal on the hour was precautionary, not problematic, after a first half where his dancing feet set the tone before Sunderland levelled via a deflected Granit Xhaka strike after the break.

Moyes calms injury fears

Post-match, Moyes was upbeat on Ndiaye’s condition, making it clear he expects nothing more sinister than cramp. The Senegal star looked uncomfortable and asked to come off, but the manager praised his electric first-half display and suggested he’ll be fine for the weekend. No alarms, just aching legs after a night of relentless running.

Why McNeil got the nod

The substitution board flashed and on came Dwight McNeil, not summer arrival Tyler Dibling. Moyes explained it was a call based on training levels: McNeil has been razor sharp at Finch Farm lately and earned the minutes. Dibling, still bedding in and short on top-flight minutes, had to watch this one unfold from the touchline.

Ndiaye carrying the load

Ndiaye’s strike was his fourth of the league campaign and he’s now on five goal contributions from 10 starts — the only Everton player with more than one league goal so far. He’s already edging towards last season’s tally of nine, and the Toffees are increasingly leaning on his burst of pace and calm in the box to make the difference.

Blunt edge up top remains a worry

Here’s the rub: Everton’s centre-forwards are misfiring. Between them, Beto and Thierno Barry have mustered just one Premier League goal. Barry, handed a rare start, squandered the game’s gilt-edged chance by blazing over from point-blank range after Jack Grealish’s inviting cross. Key stat: ten goals in ten league games tells its own story — industry without incision.

Everton’s next step is obvious: turn territory and toil into ruthless, repeatable finishes. If you’re weighing up form and fine margins ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, our curated list of best betting sites can help you separate gut feeling from good value.

What it means

One win in six leaves Everton 14th, five clear of the drop zone — not panic stations, but hardly comfort either. Fulham visit Goodison next before the international breather, and Moyes will know draws like this need to start becoming wins. Keep Ndiaye fit, find a cutting edge for the No 9s, and the table will look a lot healthier in a hurry.