David Moyes Tells Everton Player to ‘Pull His Finger Out’ in Brutal Assessment
The Everton boss did not hold back with his take on an out-of-form star.
Everton head coach David Moyes gave a scathing assessment of one of his own players ahead of the Toffees’ clash away at Fulham.
On Saturday (February 7), Everton will face Marco Silva’s Fulham at Craven Cottage with both sides harbouring ambitions of qualifying for European competition this season.
In recent weeks, Moyes’ squad has been depleted by injuries to high-profile stars Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish, while key players Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye missed a month’s worth of matches as they were at the Africa Cup of Nations with eventual winners Senegal.
However, Grealish aside, the aforementioned players have since returned to the side and will likely feature against Fulham.
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Toffees fans will also be hoping to catch a glimpse of new loan signing, Tyrique George, who arrived from Chelsea during the winter transfer window.
The 20-year-old left-winger will provide back-up for Dwight McNeil, who saw a deadline day move to Crystal Palace fall through, and first-choice Ndiaye.
Meanwhile, Moyes has claimed that George’s arrival should prompt a reaction from out-of-form winger Tyler Dibling.
Dibling signed for Everton from Southampton for £35 million plus £5 million add-ons in the summer of 2025, but has failed to impress on Merseyside, with the teenager failing to register a single goal or assist in his 17 appearances this term.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday (February 6), Moyes suggested that he’d be thinking “[I] better pull my finger out” if he were Dibling after seeing George arrive.
The Scottish manager said: "I'd be thinking I better pull my finger out [after the signing of George] and show the manager what I was really about. If you want to be at the elite end of football, then the competition is stiff, and you have to live with that. The one thing Tyler has got on his side is that he is young. He is quite a quiet boy who might take more time to settle in, but he needs to show when he gets the opportunities."
When further pressed on his assessment of the player, Moyes added: “I think there are little glimpses of just beginning to get angry, which I am enjoying. What we want from him is being direct, taking people on, committing people. He needs to find a way of becoming that player who we thought would be creating. Are you going to get us some assists, are you going to score some goals?"
Dibling is contracted to Everton until 2029.
Topics: Everton, David Moyes, Premier League, Football, Transfer News
Luke Davies