Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Everton’s dynamo midfielder, wasn’t just close to getting the call for England’s Nations League squad; he was “very close,” according to manager Thomas Tuchel himself. But being “very close” means you’re still out, and that’s exactly what happened earlier on Friday when Tuchel picked Borussia Dortmund’s Jobe Bellingham instead. What happened next at Hill Dickinson Stadium was pure, unadulterated revenge on the scoreboard: Dewsbury-Hall absolutely tore it up, smashing home a thunderous strike that powered Everton to a massive 3-1 comeback win against Coventry City, launching the Blues to fifth in the Premier League table.
Snubbed by England, Sparked for Everton
Can you imagine that feeling? Hours before kick-off, you find out your massive dream of playing for your country is on hold, again, despite your impressive form. Dewsbury-Hall, at 28, was tipped for a spot, only to be overlooked. He didn’t hold back after the game, telling Sky Sports, “It was a disappointing morning, I’m not going to lie. It’s a massive dream of mine to play for my country. I know I was close.” That hurt, right? But the absolute grit to turn that disappointment into pure fuel, that’s what we love to see. He added, “sad, yeah, but really proud of myself and how I have reacted. All I can keep doing is putting in good performances and hopefully one day I get the nod, because I’m never going to give up.” That’s the mentality of a player who refuses to be ignored. His goal against Coventry was just the cherry on top of Everton’s second consecutive Premier League victory, a comeback for the ages that had the Everton faithful absolutely buzzing.
A Long Road to Premier League Stardom
This kind of fight isn’t new for Dewsbury-Hall. His career path has been anything but a straight shot to the top. He didn’t even make his Premier League debut for his boyhood club, Leicester City, until he was 22, spending valuable time grinding it out on loan in the English Football League with Luton Town and Blackpool. Even when he finally got his shot with Leicester, it was during a super turbulent time, one that ended with the club getting relegated. But did he quit? Nope. He became a starring player in Leicester’s Championship-winning season under Enzo Maresca, then followed Maresca to Chelsea in August 2025 for a hefty £30m. It didn’t quite click there, though; regular game time was tough to come by, mostly featuring in cup competitions. It wasn’t until his move to Everton last summer, at age 26, that he truly seems to have found his stride, reigniting his career and showing everyone why he was always considered such a highly-regarded attacking midfielder. Since the start of last season, the man has bagged 11 goals and dished out seven assists for Everton in the Premier League. He’s clearly enjoying his role, saying, “I’m really, really enjoying it. I’ve got a really good hybrid role in this team, where the gaffer is giving me the freedom to pop up all over the pitch.”
The wait until the next international break in March is going to feel like forever for Dewsbury-Hall, but if Friday night taught us anything, it’s that this guy isn’t backing down. He’s got that mentality, he says, “I’ll keep pushing and pushing and see what happens.” And let’s not forget Thierno Barry, who was also on fire against Coventry, scoring twice in five minutes to kickstart that second-half comeback. He’s already hit 10 goals for Everton across all competitions this season! With players like Dewsbury-Hall and Barry stepping up big, Everton is showing they mean business, and you can bet fans are looking forward to every single minute of it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
Leave a Reply