Arnaut Danjuma has shared what Everton assistant manager Ian Woan told him at half-time against Sheffield United.
Everton secured their first Premier League point of the season so far, and scored their first league goals of the campaign, against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
Midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure put Everton ahead in the first half, before Cameron Archer was on target to level things up for the Blades. Soon after the break, an unfortunate Jordan Pickford own goal saw the Toffees trailing, before Arnaut Danjuma restored parity to secure the draw for Sean Dyche’s side.
It was a positive result that Everton deserved, and absolutely needed following their dreadful start to the season. Summer loan signing Danjuma will also be delighted to be off the mark for the season in the Premier League.
However, the Dutchman was simply the one who applied the finishing touch to a move that had been plotted by the Merseyside club’s coaching staff.
As Danjuma popped up to convert Nathan Patterson’s cross at the back post, Dyche and his backroom team will have been delighted to see their plan come to fruition in such critical fashion.
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Danjuma shares Everton dressing room insight
Writing on the official Everton website, Danjuma has shed light on how the plan for his goal was constructed and conveyed. The 26-year-old said, “we know with Patts that he has a good cross. Ian Woan told me at half-time against Sheffield United to make sure I was getting myself in at the back post because there was space there – and, thankfully, I was there to score the goal.”
If Everton are to build on this result and make progress up the Premier League table then they will need more attacking patterns of play like this to come off successfully.
Moments like this also serve to boost the players’ confidence in the coaching staff. A player like Danjuma is more likely to pay close attention to instructions issued by the likes of Dyche and Woan if he believes he will be rewarded with goalscoring opportunities.