Кристал Пэласын эсрэг хийсэн тоглолтод гол үүрэг гүйцэтгэсэн Илиман Ндиаег багтаа үлдээх нь Эвертоны хувьд нэн тэргүүний зорилт болоод байна.
Бямба гарагт болсон Премьер лигийн тоглолтод Эвертон 2-0-ийн харьцаатай ялалт байгуулж, улирлын гараагаа амжилттай эхлүүллээ. Тоглолтын эхний гоолыг Кирнан Дьюсбери-Холл оруулсан бол Илиман Ндиаегийн дамжуулалтаар Тьерно Барри хоёр дахь гоолыг бүртгүүлсэн юм. Мөн хаалгач Жордан Пикфорд тоглолтын чухал мөчид Эдди Нкетиагийн цохилтыг хааж, багийнхаа хаалганы аюулгүй байдлыг хангасан байна.
Илиман Ндиае энэ тоглолтод нийт гурван боломж үүсгэж, өрсөлдөгчийн торгуулийн талбайд хамгийн олон буюу есөн удаа бөмбөгөнд хүрсэн нь түүний талбай дээрх нөлөөг илтгэв. Тэрээр довтолгооны ажиллагаанд идэвхтэй оролцохоос гадна хамгаалалтад 15 удаа хувь нэмэр оруулж, найман удаа бөмбөг таслалтаар багтаа тусалжээ. Дасгалжуулагч Дэвид Мойес түүнийг багт “ид шидийн” тоглолтыг авчирдаг онцгой тоглогч хэмээн үнэлж, түүнийг зарах бодолгүй байгаагаа илэрхийлсэн байна.
Зуны солилцооны цонх хаагдахад долоо хоног хүрэхгүй хугацаа үлдээд байгаа энэ үед Саудын Арабын Аль Хилал клубээс сонирхол татаж байсан ч тоглогч өөрөө Аваргуудын лигт тоглох хүсэлтэй байгаа нь тодорхой байна. Эвертон түүнтэй гурван жилийн гэрээтэй тул хэлэлцээрийн хувьд давуу талтай байгаа ч багийн бүрэлдэхүүнийг сулруулахгүй байхын тулд түүнийг үлдээх нь чухал алхам юм. Багийн хамтрагч Кирнан Дьюсбери-Холл түүнийг багийн шилдэг тоглогчдын нэг хэмээн онцолж, ирээдүйд Европын тавцанд гарахын тулд ийм түвшний тоглогчдоо хадгалан үлдэх нь зүйтэй гэдгийг онцоллоо.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
Hours after Everton’s 2-0 win against Crystal Palace on Saturday, Iliman Ndiaye left Hill Dickinson Stadium to cheers.
Holding his young child, and flanked by the rest of his family wearing Everton shirts, the Senegal forward raised his thumb in celebration to the large group of waiting fans as he headed for the exit.
Ndiaye had played a starring role in the opening-day victory against Pierre Sage’s side, setting up Thierno Barry’s second goal with a jinking run and pinpoint cross. Manager David Moyes later likened that move to something produced by club legend Kevin Sheedy, a technical winger known for his deliveries into the box, who was part of Everton’s great trophy-winning sides of the 1980s.
There are few greater compliments in this part of the country.
The 26-year-old’s future has been the subject of much speculation this summer, with multiple contract offers rejected last season and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal having expressed an interest in signing him, but he remains key to Everton — one of a handful of true match-winners, alongside midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, in Moyes’ squad.
All three played a decisive role in Saturday’s win, with Dewsbury-Hall arrowing in a delightful opener and Pickford making an outstanding, sprawling save from Palace’s Eddie Nketiah when the score was still level. It allowed Everton to overcome a first-half wobble to get the new season under way in style, and start to turn the page after a scarring end to the previous campaign that saw them blow a chance of European football.
“The smile on his face says it all!”
▶️ #EVECRY highlights are out now
— Everton (@Everton) August 22, 2026
“I absolutely love Ili,” Dewsbury-Hall told reporters after Saturday’s win. “I could wax lyrical about him for so long.
“He’s one of my favourite footballers and it’s a fantastic cross — he put it on a sixpence for Barry.
“We know he’s one of the best players in the league when he’s firing.I just love playing with him and the thing I love even more is he’s so humble. (He’s a) family man, (he) works hard and long may it continue.”
Moyes has made it abundantly clear he does not want to sell Ndiaye. As quoted by the Liverpool Echo, he detailed in the embargoed section of Friday’s press conference how the forward’s return to training this summer after a delayed return following his World Cup participation had “made the whole group jump a couple of levels” and how he “gives us and supporters a little bit of magic dust”.
Saturday was a case in point. The former Sheffield United and Marseille player created the most chances in the game (three), including the assist, and had the most touches of any player in the opposition box (nine).
His dribbling ability and quick footwork are key to helping Everton work the ball into dangerous positions, creating a sense of excitement and anticipation in the stands whenever he gets the ball.
He marries those technical skills with old-fashioned graft, managing eight recoveries and 15 defensive contributions against Palace — the most of any attacking player on the pitch.
It would take something “outrageous”, to quote Moyes, for Everton to consider selling — but with just over a week of the window left, there will be an anxious wait to see if interest develops.
Everton are aware that some of the Premier League’s leading lights are monitoring his situation, and that he dreams of playing in the Champions League, the main reason a big-money move to Al Hilal did not appeal. There is a sense in the market that Everton have looked at contingencies on the wings, should Ndiaye ever push for a departure.
But, with three years to run on his current deal, they remain in a strong negotiating position. And time is running out. It would be especially difficult, given what he brings to the side in all aspects, to find a replacement at an adequate level, without weakening the squad.
The hope in the dressing room is that Everton can build with key players such as Ndiaye in the team.
“When you’re a top player, you’re always going to have people wanting you,” Dewsbury-Hall said. “But I’m hoping we’re trying to build something at this club where we keep all of our best players.
“In the next couple of years, we want to be in Europe and, for that to happen, we need to keep our best players and then also blood younger lads, which we’re trying to do.
“I’m just going to enjoy him while he’s here. I think he will be here as well, so happy days.”
