LIVERPOOL: Everton boss David Moyes was delighted for newcomer Jack Grealish after he assisted on both goals in their 2-0 Premier League win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, saying he played like he had something to prove.
The 29-year-old Grealish joined Everton on loan from Manchester City to revive his stalled international career after starting only seven league games for City last season. He was also left off England’s squad for last year’s European Championship.
“I think the boy who we saw playing for Man City in the year they won the treble is a really exciting player. And I hope he can get back,” Moyes said.
“He was game for it. Didn’t try to shirk anything. He didn’t want off after 60 minutes. He wanted to show that he’s the real deal.
“He probably has something to prove.”
Grealish’s two assists were as many as he managed in his previous 49 league appearances for City, earning him warm applause from the fans when he was finally taken off in the dying minutes.
“I said to him, get at people, you’ve got license to go and take people on and make things happen,” Moyes said.
“Really pleased with Jack. Done lots of good things. I don’t know if he gave the ball away today, but if he did, it was very rare. We’ve been looking for that different attacking option and flair and he gave us something a little bit different today.”
Moyes also praised goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who stopped a 77th-minute penalty from Danny Welbeck, awarded after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s handball.
“Jordan changed the outcome of the game possibly because we were struggling,” Moyes said. “If they got the penalty, that would have been a difficult period in the game for us.
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“But, we shouldn’t really be surprised, because he’s had that ability to make saves. Drives me mad at times, kicking it all over the place and whatnot. But ultimately, they’re there to use their hands, aren’t they, and make saves. And he made a huge save today for us.”
Everton’s victory was a fitting result in their first league game at the gleaming new Hill Dickinson Stadium, 133 years to the day since their previous home at Goodison Park opened.
Moyes summed up his emotions as “joy.”
“A great feeling, to win the first game in the new stadium was really important,” he said. “I thought it was more to do with the people who had put the work, the time, the effort into building this stadium today. And I was thinking more about them today.”