Isaac Price responds to Everton 'best player' claim…

Isaac Price responds to Everton 'best player' claim with honest verdict on Celtic performance

Isaac Price's first thoughts after starring in Everton's win over Celtic were on how can continue to improve.

The 19-year-old put in an impressive display at Sydney's Accor Stadium and was described by Frank Lampard as being the best player on the pitch. Price, who finished the match as the Blues' only fit, recognised central midfielder said he was "buzzing" to be involved with the senior team and pleased with his performance.

But he was also quick to move on to what he can do better as he revealed impressive modesty after the game.

Price played the full match against Celtic, showing composure throughout as he battled in midfield. While Everton struggled to exert any control over the tie, leaving Price sitting deep for much of the game, he retained possession well and showed glimpses of the talent that has made him so highly thought of at Everton.

Speaking to the club website after the match, Price said of the experience: "It was unbelievable - the atmosphere, the stadium, the way we played. I thought we played well, they didn't get many chances and we had a few in the first half where we could have scored but yeah, I really enjoyed it."

The teenager learned he was going to start the match in the team meeting just hours before and was "buzzing" as he tried to focus on the game. While the injury that left Tom Davies needing to fly home for a scan meant he was one of only two fit centre midfielders in the squad that has travelled to Australia, Lampard later said Price was always going to get a substantial run out such was the way he had impressed in training. By the second half and the injury that forced off Abdoulaye Doucoure - one of the senior squad who rates Price highly - Price was the only centre midfielder in the squad still standing. He had to sit between wingers Dwight McNeil and Anthony Gordon in a makeshift midfield for the second 45 minutes.

Price said: "They had a good side out. I thought I played OK, I've still got more to come, I know I've got more stuff to work on, I want the ball more, but I'm happy with the way I played... I think there is a lot of things I need to improve on, be a bit more tidy in possession, I thought out of possession I was pretty good but I could get a lot fitter, get around the pitch more, score a few more goals - I would have loved to have scored."

Price who was given his Premier League debut by Lampard towards the end of the last game of last season at Arsenal, has been with the Blues since the age of seven and is highly rated at Finch Farm, though with his contract expiring in the summer he is one of few talented starlets yet to be tied down to a new deal this year. He is now consistently training with the first team along with the likes of Tom Cannon, Reece Welch and Stanley Mills.

Both the first team players and Lampard are inspiring him, he said: "The stature of the manager, the way he played when he was a player, he is someone to learn off, someone to pick things up off every day and even the players that are in the first team, they have been around for years so just learning off them is unbelievable."

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