Paul Merson Stunned By Everton Striker’s Costly Miss Against Manchester City: Why David Moyes Needs Him Scoring? | OneFootball

Everton’s visit to the Etihad carried a silent tension that felt familiar. The Blues chased something that had escaped them for far too long: a win over Manchester City. David Moyes, still without a victory in 18 meetings with Pep Guardiola’s side, took a bold approach. He moved Carlos Alcaraz to the right flank.

Moyes gave Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall the job of creating play in the number 10 role. Since Jack Grealish could not face his parent club, the Scotsman tried an unusual setup. It felt risky instead of secure. The early moments passed quickly.

Paul Merson Stunned By Everton Striker’s Costly Miss Against Manchester City

Everton displayed their confidence instead of caution. They pressed with purpose and found small gaps between City’s defenders. Then, in the 13th minute, the moment arrived that could have changed the game. Iliman Ndiaye slipped a clever ball through for Beto.

The striker ran into space but dragged his shot wide from close range. Paul Merson shouted “oh no” on Sky Sports, capturing the disbelief in the studio. Nathan Aké lost the ball a few times and handed Everton some chances they failed to take. The pundits stopped watching their own matches and stared at the replays. They shook their heads at the missed opportunity that should have opened the scoring.

“Should be 1-0 to Everton, Ake has given the ball away three times so far.

“Gives is straight to Ndiaye, Ndiaye attacks the box, plays it across the six-yard box, Beto is coming in, he is at a stretch but he is give yards out, he gets contact to it, and puts it horribly, horribly wide.”

That miss haunted Everton throughout the game. It exposed a familiar weakness in their season: energy without a finishing touch. Moyes’ men worked hard but failed to finish their chances when it mattered most. We reported earlier that Manchester United want to sign Everton midfielder James Garner. This performance also proves why the club can’t let key players leave while their attack continues to struggle.

Why Moyes Needs Beto to Start Scoring?

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – MARCH 19: Paul Merson answers questions during Gillette Soccer Saturday Live with Jeff Stelling on March 19, 2012 at the Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

For Moyes, Beto’s miss said everything. In games against teams like City, such moments decide everything. The striker keeps wasting good chances instead of scoring them. That failure stops Everton from moving forward. Moyes needs a forward who handles pressure and finishes calmly when others hesitate.

If Beto keeps missing, young Barry will soon step up to lead the line. The frustration among supporters, echoed by Merson and the Sky Sports team, shows how costly these misses can be. Goals create trust, and Everton’s number nine must start scoring them.

The Toffees have shown signs of progress this season, but consistency still escapes them. Everton are one of the clubs keeping an eye on Ansu Fati. That shows the club understands their need for more attacking quality. For now, Moyes must rebuild confidence in his current forwards. If Everton want to qualify for Europe, they must start scoring the easy chances. Matches like this never offer second opportunities.