Thierno Barry came off the bench to score twice for Everton in Monday’s thrilling 3-3 draw against title-chasing Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium
Thierno Barry celebrates after scoring for Everton against Manchester City(Image: (Lee Parker – CameraSport via Getty Images))
Thierno Barry has revealed the role David Moyes helped play in his brace against Manchester City. With his side trailing 1-0 to City on Monday night, Barry replaced Beto just after the hour, and four minutes later drew the Blues level when he pounced on a mistake from Marc Guehi.
The young forward was then on target again eight minutes after Jake O’Brien had headed his side ahead as the Blues looked set to pick up three huge points. However, it wasn’t to be, as Erling Haaland scored a minute after Barry made it 3-1 before Jeremy Doku levelled things up seven minutes into stoppage time.
But after impressing off the bench, Barry revealed how his brace came after one-on-one finishing work with his manager the day before the game.
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He said: “It’s always a privilege to play against the big teams, like Man City. I’m very happy to come on and score two goals. We drew, so we need to keep pushing.
“We have just three games now, so we need to take more points. He (David Moyes) didn’t talk to me too much before (I came on), but in training, him and me worked on finishing.
“He said to me: ‘You need to score two or three goals before the end of the season’. I scored two today, so I’m happy. I got the opportunity, and I took it.
“When I was on the bench, the tactics of City, and I saw if you press high with intensity, you can win more balls in the counter-attack. I think it’s a weakness of City in the counter-attack, so we did this well.”
Thierno Barry celebrates scoring his side’s first goal with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall James Garner and Iliman Ndiaye during the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Lee Parker – CameraSport via Getty Images
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As a result of Doku’s goal, Everton became the first team in Premier League history to concede a result-altering goal in the 90th minute or later in three consecutive matches.
Those results mean the Blues currently find themselves two points off the European places with just three games to go.
But Barry’s team-mate and fellow goalscorer against City, Jake O’Brien, believes his side can still qualify for Europe.
“Yeah, for sure,” the Republic of Ireland international replied when asked if European football next season was still a possibility. “It is very tight, but we have three games and they are three games we are more than good enough to win.”
Reflecting on the draw, O’Brien admitted: “It was a mixed performance. In the first-half we weren’t ourselves. We didn’t get on the ball enough and make things happen.
“In the second-half we showed a bit more personality. We made things happen and it is just devastating that we just couldn’t see it out.”
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