Everton youngster steps up after big week and five…

Everton youngster steps up after big week and five other things spotted in training

Sean Dyche took a selection of his Everton squad to Goodison Park on Tuesday for a training session watched by a small group of supporters.

On a day in which a shadow squad featuring the likes of Yerry Mina, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin lost to Chester in a behind-closed-doors training game at Finch Farm, most of the team that started the match against Fulham were in L4.

And footage released from Goodison offers some insight into the exploits of the team this week as those at the Grand Old Lady took part in a series of drills that were, at times, more competitive than perhaps expected. Ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park, here are a couple of takeaways from the images released by the club on Friday.

Handpicked squad taken to Goodison

Only Michael Keane was missing from the team that started the 3-1 defeat to Fulham last weekend. Every other starter, plus Asmir Begovic and Andy Lonergan, were involved in the drills at Goodison. Yerry Mina, Conor Coady, Nathan Patterson, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Tom Davies, Ellis Simms and Mason Holgate were among those who were involved against Chester instead. The Goodison crowd also included several youngsters yet to get a chance in a matchday squad under Dyche - who in Stanley Mills and Ishe Samuels-Smith named current academy starlets on the bench of a Premier League game for the first time at the weekend. Katia Kouyate and Reece Welch were also at Goodison.

Sean McAllister steps up on big week for youngster

Also there was Sean McAllister, the 20-year-old midfielder who signed a new deal with the club this week. McAllister, from Northern Ireland, joined the Blues from Dungannon Swifts in the summer of 2019 and signed a new contract that will keep him with Everton until June 2024.

Dwight McNeil has his eye in

McNeil scored another impressive goal for Everton as he slotted past Bernd Leno from just outside the box at the weekend. It was his fourth Premier League strike since arriving from Burnley and should have provided a platform for a positive result. Instead Everton went on to lose but it was another promising moment from McNeil, who has made a habit of scoring stunners. His goal against Crystal Palace capped off Everton’s best team goal of the season while the winners against Southampton and Brentford were both easy on the eye. McNeil was in form again in training, clips showing his smashing beyond Jordan Pickford for one training day strike then calmly slotting past the England number one moments later.

Steve Stone still has it

First team coach Steve Stone is a trusted Dyche ally and arrived with the manager in late January. The former midfielder is now in his fifties but his first touch is yet to desert him. Stone could be seen bringing long balls down to tee up players to cross during the training session. His control of the ball was more impressive than some of the crossing - and finishing.

Competitive edge even in training

There were possession and team drills through this session that suggested players were being asked to maintain an edge in the week. Maupay refused to shirk a 50/50 to win the ball while in another clip Mykolenko is seen pulling on Alex Iwobi’s bib as he tried to stop the former Arsenal man from an insightful lay off.

All smiles as fans get meet and greet

Despite the pressure of the relegation fight, Dyche and his players were happy to give time to supporters. Dyche and Leon Osman held a Q&A with fans before the session and there were plenty of smiles as players signed autographs and posed for pictures on the side of the pitch at the end.

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