The Everton midfielder has long been a closed book but the reveal of past troubles kicked open the window to his soulDele Alli smiles, his features soften and there is a nervous little laugh. He does this a lot. It is one of his defence mechanisms, a way of pushing back at all the hurt. He knows that now.Gary Neville is interviewing him for The Overlap and has just asked about his childhood. “I think there were a few incidents that can give you a kind of brief understanding,” Dele says, and there is a pause, an internal struggle – of the type he has wrestled with throughout his life. And then Dele kicks open the window to his soul....
For the second season in succession, fans responded to the manager’s call and roared on a team under threat of relegationWhether winning a title or securing safety, the moment the historic goal hits the back of the net provides the same feeling. Abdoulaye Doucouré thrashed the ball in here to test the foundations of the antiquated Goodison Park. Every second of the past two seasons of Everton struggle was forgotten, replaced with the glorious ecstasy of being a football fan without worries or concerns.These days of toil are painful for supporters, who endure every emotion, from despair to unparalleled jubilation. For those decked in blue at Goodison, survival means everything; football is their joy, their time away from what life...
Everton have relegation battle in their own hands, Aston Villa fans face a dilemma and there will be emotional farewells galoreFor the third time in 29 years, Everton’s Premier League status is on the line on the final day at Goodison Park although, unlike against Wimbledon in 1994 or Coventry in 1998, survival is in their own hands. The task sounds straightforward enough: beat a Bournemouth team with nothing to play for and a 70th consecutive season in the top flight is guaranteed. Everton, though, have an aversion to the straightforward. Sean Dyche does not have a decent striker available with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has been integral to the team’s recent improvement, hamstrung again. Unless Vitaliy Mykolenko recovers from a...
Midfielder showed his class again with two goals at Everton and Pep Guardiola knows a new contract for his captain is a mustManchester City spend most of their time in the Premier League playing against low blocks where lines of four and five do their best to slow down the leaders in the desperate hope that they can keep them out. Because of this it is very important what happens in between the lines, the small gaps where midfielders are allowed to operate. Ilkay Gündogan is the master of finding the gaps and settling tight matches but how much longer he will be doing it in blue is unknown.Everton operated as one would expect considering their precarious league position and...
Villa can put wind up Manchester United, a City old boy runs into Haaland and Spurs have an awful history at AnfieldPeople are no longer ignoring the massive turnaround Unai Emery has performed at Villa Park. There were not many personnel changes in January; teenage striker Jhon Durán was signed from Chicago Fire, Bertrand Traoré was recalled from loan at Istanbul Basaksehir and, most importantly, Alex Moreno joined from Real Betis. Lucas Digne has been deposed from the defence and Villa have only lost twice in Moreno’s 15 appearances, with the Spaniard quickly becoming integral to the system. He is popular off the pitch too, ingratiating himself with fans with a recent interview in English, smiling throughout despite not yet...