Everton of England midfielder, Alex Iwobi has admitted he was very glad that he was able to score one of the goals that helped his side move into the next round of this year’s Carabao League Cup at the expense of Fleetwood Town, megasportsarena.com reports.
Iwobi netted in The Toffees’ 5-2 win against the English League One side on Wednesday, which put an end to speculation that he was already heading for the exit door at Goodison Park, and the Super Eagles’ playmaker is now hoping to do better than his first season with the club he joined from Arsenal.
That was in the immediate past campaign, when The Gunners’ former under-21 team captain, who joined Everton last summer, achieved 23 starts across all competitions, including 19 in the English Premier League, but this season started on a shaky note for him.
After missing his side’s first three matches of the league and another in the Carabao Cup, rabid speculation began running wild that he was heading for an early departure from the club, but his goal on Wednesday has set Iwobi eyeing more starts for Everton in the coming days.
Not only did he get on the scorers’ chart in midweek, Iwobi also put up a now rare impressive performance in the third round encounter, as he bagged a goal and assist in the same game for the first time since joining The Toffees, thereby ending a goal drought that stretched back to September 1, 2019, which was the first week of his arrival from Emirates Stadium.
Before Wednesday’s match at Fleetwood’s Highbury Stadium, Iwobi had not gone the distance for Everton in all competitions since a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on December 15, 2019 such that a huge change of fortune appeared to have come his way and he is now aiming at convincing Everton coach, Carlo Ancelotti that he deserves a regular spot in the squad.
He went on to declare figuratively that he intends to give Ancelotti a headache in the process of making his selections for matches, as he aims to step up his efforts in training and give his very best in any match he is called upon to play, such that the Italian gaffer will start having sleepless nights about who to field and who to drop in each subsequent game.
Iwobi told Liverpool Echo: “It’s always good to score but the main thing is the team goes through to the next round so I’m glad I was able to help. It was good experience for me to get 90 minutes under my belt as I’m trying to get fit for all competitions so it was good for the manager to give me the opportunity.
“Everyone wants to play so hopefully I can give the manager a migraine and get involved as much as I can. It’s good experience for me to build fitness and I’m ready for all competitions so it’s good of the manager to give me this opportunity.”
