Journalist Adam Jones has praised Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson for his role in beating Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield on Saturday.
It was Everton’s first win at Anfield since 1999 and it’s a result that keeps Carlo Ancelotti’s men right in the mix when it comes to discussion about European football.
The Icelandic midfielder, valued at £16.2m on Transfermarkt, was only a substitute for the game, coming off the bench just before the hour mark when the Toffees were already 1-0 up, but he was still able to make an impact as he completed 100% of his passes and went on to score the penalty that put the game beyond doubt late on.
And speaking on the latest Royal Blue podcast (5:32), Jones praised him for being able to slot into the game seamlessly to help get Everton over the line, as well as praising his mental toughness for dispatching the penalty late on:
“I think he instantly got up to the speed of the game, which is what Everton needed really, you know, you’ve combative in midfield, which is exactly what Everton needed and him having such a cool head to step off for that penalty, the goalkeeper has gone the right way and still hasn’t been able to save it, which, you know, kind of shows you how good the penalty it was. And, you know, that’s a really precious situation. So think he deserves a lot of credit for being able to do that.”
Does Gylfi Sigurdsson deserve a new contract with Everton?
No, not done enough
Yes, he deserves it
TIF Thoughts on Adam Jones’ comments about Gylfi Sigurdsson
Whilst a lot of praise this season has gone on the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Carlo Ancelotti, the Icelandic has quietly been an integral part of getting Everton to where they are this season, with four goals and two assists in the Premier League, not on the losing side when he contributes either.
And as his display showed (receiving a 6.9 rating, despite only playing for 30 minutes), when they need him to come up big, they can rely on him to do that. He managed to achieved a pass success rate of 100%.
And if he can produce a few more of those moments between now and the end of the season, then who knows just where he might be able to take the rest of the Everton squad.