Rooney praises ‘excellent’ Dewsbury-Hall as Everton beat Man United | OneFootball

Everton beat Manchester United 1-0 despite the Toffees going down to 10 men early on.

Everton scored via Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and the Merseyside giants delivered a remarkable defensive performance to shut up shop.

Several Everton players deserved praise for their terrific shifts, but former England attacker Wayne Rooney singled out Dewsbury-Hall for praise.

Rooney said (via the Premier League website), “I think he’s been excellent for Everton this season, his energy, his creativity as well.

“It’s a good pass from James Garner, but then that willingness to drive at defenders and get them to make decisions. He gets the shot off, and it’s a really good finish.

“He deserves it because his overall game has been excellent.”

Besides the goal, Dewsbury-Hall completed 2/3 dribbles, won two fouls, and came out on top in 6/9 of his ground duels.

Dewsbury-Hall’s performances have even drawn praise from his Everton teammates, with Thierno Barry impressed by his quality.

After playing a key, albeit minor, role in helping Chelsea clinch the Europa League and Club World Cup last term, he left in search of game time.

He has bagged two goals and two assists in league appearances for the Toffees and has proven to be key to David Moyes’ midfield set-up.

If he keeps delivering at this level, that long-awaited first England cap will surely come.

Midfielders who combine craft, intensity, and end product don’t go unnoticed for long, and Dewsbury-Hall is showing those qualities consistently in a team built to maximise his strengths.

What will interest Thomas Tuchel even more is his growing maturity.

He is showing better timing in his runs, impressive ability to dictate phases of play, and the confidence to seize big moments.

Sustain this form through the second half of the campaign, and the conversation inevitably changes.

The 27-year-old won’t just be an in-form Premier League midfielder. He’ll be a genuine contender for a seat on the plane to the 2026 World Cup.

For a player who backed himself by leaving a comfort zone in search of minutes, it would be the ultimate vindication.