Everton recorded a stunning win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday courtesy of a last-gasp winner from Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Everton dented Nottingham Forest’s Champions League hopes, with midfielder Doucoure popping up in injury-time to finish off a counter-attack.
The win for Everton took the club up to 14th place above Tottenham Hotspur, and level on points with Manchester United.
Defeat for Ipswich Town today will see Everton become all but mathematically safe from relegation, and David Moyes will then finally visit Bramley-Moore Dock.
The Scot has been putting off visiting the club’s new stadium until safety is secured.
After yesterday’s game, David Moyes heaped praise on the matchwinner Abdoulaye Doucoure, suggesting he doesn’t really get the credit he deserves.
David Moyes suggests Abdoulaye Doucoure doesn’t get the credit he deserves
Doucoure was preferred to Carlos Alcaraz yesterday against Forest.
Despite there being a chance he won’t be at the club next season, with his contract expiring, Doucoure remains a big player for Moyes.
He has started 11 out of the 13 Premier League games Moyes has overseen since his appointment.
The two games he missed were due to suspension and when his wife had a baby.
After yesterday’s game, Moyes spoke about Doucoure and what he brings to the table – and it’s clear he really loves what he brings to the table, and feels he is somewhat underappreciated.
He said: “Good for Doucs because he does an awful lot of work for the team, which sometimes goes unnoticed.
“But I actually think that he’s, I think he’s been scoring a few goals and beginning to see him in a different light a little bit, (he) shows one or two other things.”
Doucoure sends clear message to The Friedkin Group over his Everton future
Yesterday was an interesting day for Doucoure.
As we all know, the player stands to leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires.
But yesterday, Doucoure admitted he would love to remain at Everton for next season, saying: “I can’t talk too much about that but it is maybe my last moments at the club and at the moment it is very quiet on the club side. I love this club.
“I love this club. Since the moment I signed, always I want to stay. My contract is running out so let’s see what happens in the next couple of weeks but I love this club.”
Doucoure also gestured signing a new contract during his goal celebration against Forest.
It’s clear what the player wants. It is now just a case of whether an agreement can be reached, and how much The Friedkin Group want him to stick around.
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