Everton’s FA Cup hopes are over for another year after a third round exit at the hands of Sunderland, and one player left David Moyes red-faced yesterday.
The Toffees drew 1-1 with the Black Cats at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but lost on penalties, with fans left enraged at their side’s spot-kicks.
James Garner, Thierno Barry and Beto all saw their efforts saved, with Sunderland faultless from 12 yards.
We’ve got no words… have you? 😡
Some terrible displays out there again
Everton’s hopes of silverware remain, and fans are getting frustrated with the way the season is going.
It’s certainly been a bad week for the club, and not the start to 2026 that everyone of an Everton persuasion was hoping for.
But there was one small positive from the defeat to Sunderland.
And that small positive was also somewhat embarrassing for David Moyes.
- READ MORE: David Moyes annoyed after Everton players allowed the one thing he didn’t want vs Sunderland
Adam Aznou’s cameo display was embarrassing for stubborn David Moyes
Everton’s summer of business is now coming under the microscope with the team beginning to struggle.
The lack of depth is hurt Everton’s cause, and a push for European football come the end of the season feels like it could be a tall order – unless there’s a productive January.
One of Everton’s summer signings only made his debut for the club yesterday against Sunderland – and that player was Adam Aznou.
Aznou surely has to be handed more minutes after THAT display…😫
He showed more in his cameo than Mykolenko has all season
Aznou replaced midfielder Merlin Rohl on 86 minutes – and the Moroccan youngster made an instant impact.
Everton were trailing, but he won a penalty for the hosts which James Garner scored to take the contest to extra-time. It was a soft penalty, but Aznou deserves credit for his determination to keep the ball alive and not letting Sunderland get out.
Aznou – who received praise from Moyes after the game – operated as a winger, and just gave a bit more life to the left side for Everton.
He certainly gave a much better showing than Dwight McNeil, who continues to draw criticism from fans. Aznou won five of the eight duels he contested in the game, as per Sofascore. That was the exact same as McNeil, who of course had been on the pitch for far longer.
There was a determination about Aznou, and he looked as if he cared a lot more than some of his teammates.
Perhaps that was borne out of the fact he has not been used up until now.
But without doubt, Aznou’s cameo only makes it more bizarre that Moyes hasn’t used him – and the manager’s next move should now be clear.
- READ MORE: Everton ratings vs Sunderland as 2/10 player deserves David Moyes wrath after dismal showing
Moyes can’t let Aznou fall back into the shadows
We have now all seen Aznou in a competitive first-team match for Everton – and his showing against Sunderland was surely enough to warrant more game time.
He shouldn’t necessarily become a regular starter for Everton. But we can’t have him slipping back into the shadows once unavailable players have returned.
It’s clear he has something about him, and the performances of Vitaliy Mykolenko haven’t exactly set the world alight.
Moyes surely doesn’t have that much to lose by just playing Aznou a bit more from this point onwards.
The manager needs to drop what seems like stubbornness and just put his faith in a player who is clearly champing at the bit to succeed.
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