Sean Dyche has been urging his players to mirror Erling Haaland’s ruthlessness as Everton’s struggle for goals continued at Manchester City.
The Blues fell to a frustrating defeat at the Etihad after a resilient display limited the chances of the hosts and left Pep Guardiola demanding more from his team as he introduced Kevin de Bruyne on the hour mark.
That change spurred on the reigning champions, with Haaland hammering a loose ball into the roof of the net 10 minutes later - City’s first shot on target.
The clinical strike was indicative of everything he is urging his own players to do as goals continue to come at a premium in the absence of Abdoulaye Doucoure.
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Speaking after the match Dyche said of Haaland, who also scored Everton’s second: “That’s why he is who he is. He doesn’t have many touches in some games but he scores and that is the key. I must say his finish for the first one, I have been speaking to the players recently about this... footballers scoring trendy goals - whippers, dippers, clippers. He [Haaland] doesn’t think about that. Just score a goal. That’s the trendiest thing you’ll ever do.
"And he showed that today, a good technique. Just smash it and don't worry about anything else. The second goal Jarrad [Branthwaite] is a bit unlucky. It’s a tangle of legs, on another day you might get a foul but he [Haaland] stayed calm and slotted it in the corner. His conviction in his running to get there and he slots it in the corner. That’s why he is who
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