Sean Dyche took the positives as Everton picked up their first point of the Premier League season at Leicester City.
The Toffees earned a 1-1 draw against the Foxes to finally get off the mark in their fifth fixture. With pressure falling on manager Dyche from sections of fans, Everton were depleted of regular starters Vitalii Mykolenko (illness), Jarrad Branthwaite (groin) and Idrissa Gana Gueye (personal reason) along with Seamus Coleman (calf), Nathan Patterson (hamstring), Youssef Chermiti and Armando Broja (both foot).
Meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Garner came through a sickness bug to start and Jack Harrison managed to make the bench after he left training on Thursday feeling unwell.
Everton made a fine start to the encounter when Iliman Ndiaye opened the scoring in the 12th minute. The Blues were on the front foot in the first half but Leicester battled back and levelled through Stephy Mavididi’s 73rd-minute finish.
It was the third league game in a row that Everton surrendered an advantage – and conceded another goal from a set-piece. But Dyche felt his troops performed well at the King Power Stadium. Speaking to Match of the Day, he said: “I thought that from us it was a positive display. There have been question marks around us not winning, but we have got our nose in front and I thought we delivered a good performance.
“I don’t like crying in luck too much but the ball falls to them in a moment where we did not look in too much trouble defensively. They only had two shots on target at home, which I’m pleased with.
“We know we have to take chances. We created enough again today to be more than one goal in front but generally a positive display. Lots of positive signs. A ball falls to them in an unfortunate moment and that is the way it is going at the moment, but I thought that there was a big shift in our play today.”
Ndiaye bagged his first Premier League goal for Everton in what was another lively display. On the summer signing from Marseille, Dyche said: “Really pleased. he ran out of steam a bit towards the end of the game but he has played more football than we were expecting him to at this stage. For the goal, it was great play from Ashley Young to put in the ball and a great touch and finish from Illiman.”
