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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Chris Beesley

Everton player ratings as James Tarkowski excellent and Amadou Onana immense in win over Arsenal

Jordan Pickford 8

Will have been pleasantly surprised when facing the Premier League leaders that he only had one Thomas Partey shot from distance to deal with in the first half although he’d also require some help from Coady later in the first half and a wickedly spinning Coleman back-pass also had to be watched carefully and then saved well from substitute Leandro Trossard late on.

Seamus Coleman 8

Has got his work cut out against Gabriel Martinelli who cut loose on few occasions but the Everton captain led by example, shackling him in determined fashion while setting up Calvert-Lewin with a slick cross in stoppage time.

Vitalii Mykolenko 7

Much-needed, much-improved display under new manager Sean Dyche with some tigerish tackles from the start to set the mood and while he needed his wits about him up against Saka – he was booked after the break – he kept plugging away.

MATCH RECAP: Everton vs Arsenal as it happened plus full coverage of fan protests

READ MORE: Everton fans have new 'Arteta money' question to ask after January transfer chaos

Conor Coady 8

Read the game well and this was exemplified by his clearance off the line to deny Bukayo Saka’s goal-bound effort in the first half while there was also a crucial tackle on Martin Odegaard after the break.

James Tarkowski 9

Sent the home fans into raptures by heading in his first goal for the club from McNeil’s corner kick and along with aerial dominance, his willingness to put his body on the line showed he’s hopefully well-suited to the defensive fundamentals his reunited gaffer will demand from him.

Idrissa Gueye 7

Played the holding role in a five-man midfield, he was more like his old self, providing a protective role in front of the back four and while he gave away some dangerous free-kicks, he seemed somewhat unfortunate with the decisions.

Abdoulaye Doucoure 7

Recalled by Dyche after falling out of favour in the latter days of Frank Lampard, his long strides ensured the engine room was far more cluttered but squandered an inviting headed chance from a Dwight McNeil cross.

Amadou Onana 9

High-energy display, bursting forward to set up Dominic Calvert-Lewin just after the half-hour mark and while he was booked for foul on Ben White, he marauded forward when possible.

Alex Iwobi 7

After playing centrally for most of the season, he was back out wide, mostly on the left in the first half then on the right in the second but while there was plenty of energy from him, his final ball could have been better at times.

Dwight McNeil 8

Brought back into the side by his former Burnley manager, his crosses brought an added threat from set-pieces and he teed up Doucoure for a chance that should have been headed better before then delivering the corner that set up Tarkowski’s goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin 6

Dyche was already preparing Neal Maupay to replace him when James Tarkowski scored, and despite some slick movement leading the line he spurned three golden opportunities in the first half, firstly lacking conviction to attack the ball from a rebound when a McNeil shot was deflected then failing to connect with an inviting Onana pass across the face of goal and heading wide from Coleman’s cross in first half stoppage time.

Neal Maupay 7 (on 62 for Calvert-Lewin)

Battling display up front after coming off the bench, he took the fight to Arsenal’s defence without many chances coming his way.

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