Dwight McNeil earns the adulation of his manager and teammates after Burnley display

Dwight McNeil has earned the adulation of his manager and teammates after an impressive display against his former side Burnley.

McNeil produced his finest performance of the season and helped Everton win 2-0 at Hill Dickinson Stadium. He was given a standing ovation by the home fans following his substitution towards the end of the contest.

McNeil was on the verge of joining Crystal Palace on deadline day of the winter transfer window but the deal collapsed in the final hour. What was worse for McNeil and his family was the radio silence from Palace and they felt that the player’s emotions had been “toyed with.”

After being out of the Toffees squad for a few games, he’s gradually getting back into David Moyes’ plans. McNeil played 81 minutes against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park before the clash against his former side.

“Dwight did great and I'm really pleased for him because he's probably had a tough time with all the different things going on [the failed January move to Crystal Palace],” Moyes said after the win.

“I think the difference tonight in Dwight, I think it was very noticeable in his other performances. His other performances were never at the level that he played tonight, so he played much, much better and I've been saying he's training better and he's getting more confidence.

“They nearly gave him a standing ovation coming off, so that tells me that everybody in the house is watching him and they all thought he played well and he did. He's done a great job.”

James Tarkowski, who scored the opening goal in the 2-0 win, also showered love to his teammate. “I’m so proud of Dwight and pleased because he’s had a tough time.

“He’s not played a lot, nearly leaves, ends up staying. He’s had so much going on, but he’s dealt with it so well.

“His training levels have been through the roof and that’s why he’s in the team. I thought he was terrific at the weekend and he stepped up another level tonight.

“The way he received the ball, carried it, his work rate. The way he was beating people.

“It was the Dwight I’ve known for five or six years, but it’s nice people got to see him tonight get back to the player I know he can be.

“The next challenge is to do it week in, week out but he should be really pleased and proud of himself too.”

Reader Comments (31)

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Mike Powell 2 Posted 04/03/2026 at 17:39:48

He had a great game, probably his best game ever for us.

Tony Abrahams 3 Posted 04/03/2026 at 17:56:23

McNeil played well but it's the man who is praising him who poses the biggest question for me.

I often feel like a scratched record, but we are talking about a player who was banished earlier in the season when Grealish first arrived but, if we are to really improve, we need a stronger squad of players that the manager wants to integrate instead of isolate, which I personally feel is sometimes the case with Moyes.

Maybe Palace coming in for him and knowing that he his now in the shop window has given McNeil a lot more confidence, so hopefully we benefit between now and the end of the season.

Dave Abrahams 5 Posted 04/03/2026 at 18:37:52

Tony (3),

Your second paragraph says it all, hardly used in the first part of the season then expected to be on his toes from the off.

Dewsbury-Hall had a very good 5-game spell before he got injured, he's slowly getting back to that good spell but it's taken him a few games to get there.

David West 6 Posted 04/03/2026 at 19:06:29

I think he was good yesterday, I think it's mainly because we've had nothing on that side since Ndiaye swapped back over to the left with Jack Grealish's injury.

It was Burnley so let's keep it in perspective. He worked hard, put effort in, and had an effect on the game, as he did at Newcastle.

It's like before January he knew he wasn't getting a sniff with Grealish and Ndiaye nailed on for the wide spots. Now even if his time is limited, he knows he has to show what he's about.

I think the reception he got showed what our crowd is all about. You will get ripped apart for not giving your all, as he rightly has at times, but give your all, and they show you what it means!!

Neil Cremin 7 Posted 04/03/2026 at 19:49:46

David,

As he had against Forest. Yes, he will have limited opportunties if a deal is done for Grealish but, for me, he was very effective and contributed more than Ndiaye.

It must be said, Ndiaye had one of his better games except when he went for his own score when he had two options -- the less was Beto on his left but McNeill was totally free on the right.

If Beto or Barry had done that, they would have been rightly criticised.

Oliver Molloy 8 Posted 04/03/2026 at 20:36:40

I hope when he is picked he gives his all, that's what will work for all concerned.

There is an opportunity to gain a move at the end of the season, so hopefully it will work out, as he is not good enough to make us better next season, in my opinion.

Rob Dolby 9 Posted 04/03/2026 at 23:12:31

Liam 4,

Your a hard man to please.

If McNeil did okay and nothing more, how did the rest of the team play?

Are you expecting prime Barcelona from us?

McNeil is an honest pro who has a lot of positives about his game. During the Dyche and Lampard eras, he was vital in keeping us up. He isn't Messi... but who is?

Kieran Kinsella 10 Posted 04/03/2026 at 23:47:00

I’m pleased for him. His girlfriend who’s been seriously ill forgot her own troubles to publicly comment on his mental health issues. I’ve never doubted his effort or commitment, just his lack of speed and decision making. He’s showing the right attitude by responding to adversity. Long term I think we need to part ways and I don’t think Moyes has done him any favors but good job lad for stepping up.

Paul Griffiths 11 Posted 05/03/2026 at 03:16:22

Top post Kieran.

Dave Lynch 12 Posted 05/03/2026 at 07:18:42

If what keiran says is true, then Moyes is a gobshite for playing him when his head was all over the place.

He's done the lad no favours.

Dave Abrahams 13 Posted 05/03/2026 at 09:14:05

I think Dwight McNeil has always been very under rated by Everton fans while other players are over hyped and when I look at McNeil and Grealish they typify the reactions of some Everton fans to me.

Brian Harrison 14 Posted 05/03/2026 at 09:42:00

I doubt there was any Blue fan who would have picked McNeil for the Newcastle game and most thought by picking him Moyes had lost the plot. I think it tells us a lot about Moyes that despite him willing to sell McNeil to Palace, when it fell through most of us thought we wouldn't see him in a Blue shirt again, and some of his performances this season haven't been great. But when asked by the press why he had picked McNeil he simply said he has been terrific on the training ground, and the message to those not getting picked was, if I can pick someone I was prepared to sell becaus eof his effort on the training ground then som eof you need to learn the lesson. Because of his performance against Newcastle he was selected for the Burnley game and quite rightly came off to a standing ovation, and maybe the manager deserves a lot of credit for this as well.

Dave Abrahams 15 Posted 05/03/2026 at 09:57:41

Brian (14),

I said at the time when Dwight was getting loads of stick off plenty of fans that Moyes would use him and need him during the rest of the season.

He needed him for the last two games because he knows he can trust him to do a good job up and down the field and he definitely doesn't trust Dibling.

George is an attacking player and he deserves more than the paltry few minutes he got the other night particularly with Dwight tiring after the shift he put in.

The training ground is there to get them fit, no matter how they perform. Alcaraz and Rhol haven't been treated right by Moyes after playing well where it counts on the field.

His favourites and experience comes first with him, youngsters are mostly picked when he has no other options, or they are played out of position like Armstrong and Alcaraz, or even Rohl when it comes down to it.

Tony Abrahams 16 Posted 05/03/2026 at 10:20:24

I thought it was obvious that Moyes would use McNeil again because there didn't seem to be any animosity between the player and the manager once his move to Crystal Palace broke down.

I think this explains why a lot of people aren't convinced Moyes is the right person to take us forward because he will always favour experience over youth, and pragmatism and stability over style.

Some people are happy with this; others not so much, but I do think it gives a fair reflection on why people are disagreeing over the manager, because it's not as if he isn't doing a good job.

John Collins 17 Posted 05/03/2026 at 10:27:35

Made up for the kid.

Brian Harrison 18 Posted 05/03/2026 at 10:42:04

Dave 15

Completely disagree with about the training ground is just to get players fit. If you don't give 100% on the training ground, then how can the manager trust you on the pitch?

You mention Alcaraz and Rohl not being treated right, well for me neither get in the side ahead of Gana, Garner or Dewsbury-Hall. As for Moyes only picking experience, he picked Armstrong ahead of Alcaraz, Rohl and McNeil.

The reason he doesn't select Dibbling is quite simply like a lot of our young players, they aren't yet ready, as their performances so far suggest.

Tony Abrahams 19 Posted 05/03/2026 at 11:07:55

Same old arguments, he's not better than him and he's not better than him. McNeil might not be better than Grealish but he still contributes when he is given enough game time.

Rohl had his best game and hasn't been seen since, with the most significant thing being that he ran more than any other player in the game against Villa, so he is dead lazy in training?

Dewsbury-Hall might also be a better player than Alcaraz but it doesn't mean that Alcaraz isn't good enough to be getting more minutes either.

Integrate, don't isolate, give your players more confidence and show them that you trust them by giving them a bit more game time and hopefully everyone can reap the rewards, including the manager.

Brian Harrison 20 Posted 05/03/2026 at 12:02:13

Tony

Surely the job of any manager is to always pick his strongest team, not just chop and change, to keep certain personel happy. Look at Arteta at Arsenal they have at least 8 players who start every game if fit and I don't see Arteta bringing to many kids in. You say about integrating players well surely that's exactly what he has done with McNeil, most managers who were willing to sell a player wouldn't normally play him within a couple of weeks of trying to sell him. You mention Alcaraz and Rohl needing more minutes well Moyes sees them everyday in training and obviously doesnt think they warrant any minutes at present. Just like Dibbling he only gives him a few minutes here and there because basically he doesnt trust him.

John Collins 21 Posted 05/03/2026 at 12:06:06

Brian,

A 15 year old kid has made a few first team appearances for Arsenal this season mate

Brian Harrison 22 Posted 05/03/2026 at 12:12:04

John yes max dowden he is going to be very special, and I am sure when the time is right Arteta will play him but quite rightly he is only giving a small glimpse of Premier league football.

Ian Bennett 23 Posted 05/03/2026 at 12:18:00

I agree Brian. The manager is paid to win points.

Dowman has played 27 Premier League minutes. 1 minute vs Liverpool, and 26 minutes vs Leeds in a 5-nil win. So let's not over-egg that Arteta is playing kids.

He is a talent, and has been injured. But let's be clear, Arteta will be picking his best team to win the Premier League title.

John Collins 24 Posted 05/03/2026 at 12:27:31

Has a 15 year old kid played Prem football or not?

Makes no difference how long he was on the pitch.

John Collins 25 Posted 05/03/2026 at 12:28:48

Looks some player Brian.

Seen his first touch from a 40 yard diag,he killed the ball with his heel.

That alone made my mind up on him

Tony Abrahams 26 Posted 05/03/2026 at 13:31:52

Of course the manager is paid to win points Ian. He’s won a lot more than we have done for the few previous seasons, which means he his doing a good job, but my feelings are also that he has really missed a trick with a few of his selections, in the latest batch of home games.

I’m not asking the manager to chop and change his line up Brian, because I don’t think this is ever been one of Moyes’s strongest points anyway, but the modern game is about a squad, and it’s clear that the manager, doesn’t use enough of his squad, often enough, and until he does, the only way we are going to keep improving is if we keep going out the cup competitions imo.

38 league games + 2 league cup games + 1 FA Cup game = 41 games. It’s a lot easier playing less players, because 10 x 4 =40, which effectively means we play on average 4 games per month.

Tony Abrahams 27 Posted 05/03/2026 at 13:45:30

Sorry Brian, the edit button doesn’t work, but McNeil, was banished earlier on in the season and looked completely disinterested when he started getting a few games, in a similar way that Dibling has also looked completely disinterested, whenever he has been given a chance.

I don’t know the personality of Dibling, but McNeil, was always the type of player who just got his head down and worked. Maybe he was sulking because we had Grealish and N’Diaye, on the flanks, or maybe he just felt undervalued by his manager?

Remember losing at Wolves, and the people defending Moyes, just shrugged their shoulders and said the players who came in just hadn’t taken their chance, but if you look at the overall record of Moyes, in the cup competitions over the years, I think you will find this has been a common feature?

It’s not easy just coming in from the cold and getting straight into your stride when you’re a footballer, so the more minutes you get from the bench really helps the player’s for a number of reasons.

Si Cooper 28 Posted 05/03/2026 at 15:37:27

Tarkowski does say ‘his training levels have been through the roof’ so that suggests he might not have been really competing for a significant role up until recently.

What was keeping his levels down previously is unknown (to us) and so we can’t castigate the player for it, but it does seem the manager has the appropriate expectations for players when it comes to training and if you aren’t where he expects you won’t be used.

Tony Abrahams 29 Posted 05/03/2026 at 16:46:44

I’ve just been watching a little clip of Sean Dyche, talking about the Bournemouth game in May 2023, and it’s clear the club has come a long way since then Si.

That was the last time we have been in relegation trouble entering the final month of the season, but it was very sobering to listen to him saying names that names that won’t be mentioned, didn’t want to play in a game of such magnitude.

McNeil played wingback that day, Garner played opposite him on the other side, and although Dyche said he has never been inside a louder stadium, it’s absolutely shocking to hear him say players didn’t want to play

30 Posted 05/03/2026 at 16:46:44

I’ve just been watching a little clip of Sean Dyche, talking about the Bournemouth game in May 2023, and it’s clear the club has come a long way since then Si.

That was the last time we have been in relegation trouble entering the final month of the season, but it was very sobering to listen to him saying names that names that won’t be mentioned, didn’t want to play in a game of such magnitude.

McNeil played wingback that day, Garner played opposite him on the other side, and although Dyche said he has never been inside a louder stadium, it’s absolutely shocking to hear him say players didn’t want to play

Brian ( 18) Sorry Brian a not replying sooner, been out for the afternoon. The training ground should be used for tactics as well as getting the players fit.

Yes I also like Gana, Garner and KDH but Gana has been in Africa and KDH was injured for quite a while but Alcaraz and Rohl never got much game time, Alcaraz has come in sometimes and played well in his preferred position then the next game he is replaced or played out on the wing— wonder how KDH or Gana would play on the wing, James Garner seems to slot in well wherever he plays and that’s why he is my player of the season up to now although he was one of the lowest paid players on the books before he got his well deserved rise, Rohl is our player now he’s not going back to the club we bought him from yet he’s getting no time at all,from Moyes, one fan said, on here, he went back home because he was fed up with the situation.

I don’t know what to make of Dibling— a huge price we paid for a player no other club seemed interested in— you will say Moyes never bought him, I don’t know who did but he’s here and Moyes gave the young lad a public bollicking instead of doing it in private, well,he must have improved slightly in training because he got a couple of minutes as a sub the other night along with George once the game was relatively safe— 2-0 up with two minutes to go, Jesus Moyes takes no chances does he ?

As for Armstrong yes he picked him, started one game and took him off then brought him on the other night both times on the wing when the lad is a central midfield player.