Wayne Rooney has had a shocker as he gets it all wrong about Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye

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Wayne Rooney has been full of praise for Everton this season, but he may have just got it all wrong when it comes to Iliman Ndiaye.

It has certainly not been a straightforward start to the season for Everton, who are going into Monday’s game against Manchester United sitting in 13^th spot of the table.

A huge run of fixtures is coming up for David Moyes, with the festive period being paired alongside the Africa Cup of Nations this season.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
12	BrentfordBrentford	11	5	1	5	17	17	0	16
13	EvertonEverton	11	4	3	4	12	13	-1	15
14	NewcastleNewcastle	11	3	3	5	11	14	-3	12

As a result, Everton are going to lose Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye as they prepare to represent Senegal.

Ndiaye did not play in Senegal’s final game of the international break, which will see him return fresh for the trip to Old Trafford.

But he has now been snubbed by Rooney and it is a decision which may cause some controversy on Merseyside.

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Wayne Rooney shockingly snubs Iliman Ndiaye despite Everton brilliance

Rooney has hailed Everton’s Jordan Pickford for what he has offered for both the Toffees and for England over the years.

However, when it comes to naming the top three players in the Premier League this season, Rooney did not select Ndiaye.

How much is Iliman Ndiaye currently worth?

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Now, there may be some fans who think the Senegal international may just miss out on this, but who Rooney picked ahead of him will confuse many.

Having picked Antoine Semenyo and Bryan Mbeumo, Rooney then picked Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres.

“I’d probably go Gyokeres. Arsenal have been crying out for a number nine for a few years now and he’s come in, his work rate, his determination, hold up play and scoring a few goals as well,” said Rooney.

His performances this season have seen multiple clubs show an interest in Ndiaye ahead of the January and summer transfer windows.

This is a player who is playing at a much higher level than that of a club currently in 13^th spot of the Premier League table.

However, the lack of goals around him has meant his returns may have been slightly overshadowed by results.

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Ndiaye has been considerably better than Viktor Gyokeres

Bournemouth’s Semenyo has been exceptional this season, but there are certainly arguments to be made about Ndiaye outperforming both Mbeumo and Gyokeres.

He’s quickly become Everton’s most valuable player 💎

“I told him when he first arrived here that he can be the next African Ballon d’Or winner.”

Idrissa Gana Gueye on Iliman Ndiaye

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Pat Nevin said Ndiaye is good enough to play for Arsenal this season, with the Gunners leading the way in the Premier League.

This praise from the BBC Sport pundit came on the back of Ndiaye’s masterclass of a showing in the defeat against Manchester City.

Considering Ndiaye has been playing for a side in the bottom half of the table, his returns this season are so impressive as he drags the burden of Everton’s misfiring strikers.

Tony Bellew is worried about Everton losing Ndiaye in the near future, but seeing him overlooked by the likes of Rooney may actually work to their advantage.

This is a player who is playing as well as just about anyone in the Premier League outside of Semenyo and Erling Haaland, and Rooney has seen him shine in person during the recent win over Fulham.