Amadou Onana has claimed Abdoulaye Doucoure “deserved” to be the hero on Sunday after the midfielder scored the goal to seal Everton’s Premier League survival.
Doucoure has been rejuvenated since Sean Dyche arrived at Goodison Park in January. The 30-year-old struggled for game time before Dyche arrived but has started every match he has been available since.
Speaking to French publication L’Equipe, teammate Onana said: "I was very happy that he was the saviour of this club. He's a friend, not just a teammate.
"He has seen all the colours this season. He went through ups and downs.
"But I always knew the quality he had, the things he was capable of on a daily basis in training. He is a worker. He deserves it. This goal was also liberating for him."
so much emotion in this video 💙 pic.twitter.com/QbQzOza3Yv
— Everton (@Everton) May 28, 2023
Elsewhere, a story in the Liverpool ECHO includes quotes from Jordan Pickford who has paid tribute to Yerry Mina.
Mina had not featured under Dyche until the 5-1 win away at Brighton last month. The Colombian impressed in that game and went on to play in all the Blues’ remaining Premier League fixtures.
"He has been a fantastic servant," Pickford said when asked about Mina. "He is a top player. He came from Barcelona, Colombia international, and he is a great lad.
"He came over and had to learn English. He’s brilliant and a great character in the dressing room, but when he stepped over that white line, he gave absolutely everything.
"Injuries have probably stopped him in his tracks. For us, we have just got to keep going, but Yerry has been a top lad and a top servant to the Club."
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Finally, the Belfast Telegraph reports that Everton are one of several clubs eyeing Manchester City youngster Shea Charles.
The publication claims the 19-year-old has impressed the likes of Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig and now the Blues are the latest to show interest in the Northern Ireland midfielder.
Charles was named on the bench for City's final game of the season against Brentford and is highly rated in Manchester but it has been claimed the challenge of securing first-team football at the Etihad is "formidable".
