Everton’s search for a right-back finally ended on deadline day when Ainsley Maitland-Niles arrived and immediately made a statement for the club.
The former Arsenal man curled home a stunning last-gasp equaliser against Manchester United on Sunday, announcing himself to the Everton fanbase in remarkable fashion.
David Moyes was full of praise after the final whistle, telling reporters: “If nobody knew you that goal would get you plenty of headlines. It was a brilliant goal, brilliant technique.”
Moyes added: “We have not had a chance to get to know Ainsley but it was a great start from him,” underlining just how significant the debut moment was for the club.
While Maitland-Niles celebrated a dream introduction, the afternoon brought little joy for Tyler Dibling, who watched from the bench for the third consecutive Premier League game.
The 20-year-old has struggled for minutes since completing a £42m move to Everton, the second most-expensive deal in the club’s history, last summer.
Dibling managed just four league starts last season, and with Tyrique George and Jack Grealish both ahead of him in the pecking order, his situation is becoming increasingly concerning.
Former Aston Villa striker and talkSPORT host Gabby Agbonlahor used his platform to call out the winger’s lack of involvement and demand action before the January window.
Agbonlahor said: “Still no Tyler Dibling getting any minutes. He’s wasting away, isn’t he? He needs to find a loan or something in January. Would you say a Championship loan in January, if Everton allow him and bring a replacement? Just go and play!”
Moyes himself was blunt about the winger’s performances last season, telling reporters: “He’ll have to do better, I think. He’ll have to do better in his work and in his training.”
The Everton manager continued: “We brought in Tyrique George on loan from Chelsea, who is of a similar age and as competition as well to make sure we were covered. I think Tyrique has done well in the moments he’s had in games and shown some bits that we like, so we want Tyler to step up, we really do.”
George has since joined Everton on a permanent basis, making the path to first-team football even more difficult for Dibling to navigate this season.
At just 20 years old, Dibling needs consistent minutes to fulfil the potential that made Everton invest so heavily in him, and a January loan move may be his only realistic route to regular football.