U23s come back to tie with Man City

The U23s are losing 1-0 after Astley gave away a penalty after 21 minutes, converted by Doyle, who I think is the grandson of Mike Doyle who captained Man City many years ago.

City looking very sharp up front. Evenly balanced game. Evans just over with free kick.

Astley looking quite vulnerable. Fine cross by Adeniran and Evans comes close. And Evans close again but offside.

Brent (11), are you at the game? If you are can you keep us all informed of what's going on.

Where are you guys watching this game?

I'm at game Dave. Will post occasionally. How did you pick up on the goal against us?

Just offered one of our cameramen to watch his camera while he goes for a tea. Didn't trust me for some reason. “Mind yer camera mister?”

Brent ( 14) and Mike (13) I got the information off another website, not seeing the game at all. See if you can get some goals to tell us about Brent.

Hope you are okay Mike, Brent will bring us some luck Mike.

We can always count on Brent, Dave... he's in top form for every match!

COYB... Come On Young Blues!

Two down goal from down our left.

Simms coming on for Charsley

Charsley has looked poor again.

Evans goal direct from free kick.

Thanks Brent, Charsley is just here until January, Everton have given him a short contract to try and get him. fixed up with another club,he suffered a bad back injury in his last season with us, he should have finished at the end of last season. Due to his bad luck with the injuryEverton have given him a short contract up to the January transfer window, hoping a club will come in for him, he has been at Everton since he was six.

Free kick was for foul on Gordon after pacey run.

Brent, how are Gordon and Evans doing, both have got a chance with the Blues, Evans scored the winner last week with a free kick.

Brent, Man City have got a poor record this season, losing four out of six games, with just one win versus Liverpool!!!

Both looking good, Dave.

Simms header just over.

Cracking shot from Evans turned away for corner.

Thanks, Brent, keep it up. The equaliser is on it's way, then the winner!!!

Simms with a tap-in after a brilliant run and shot from Gordon onto the crossbar.

I'll try for our third Dave! Beni off Denny on. Beni played wel.

Well in, told yah, now for Gordon with the winner, don't let me down. Brent.!!!

Good run and shot from Gordon

Foulds is flagging as is my battery. Injury time

Ah hey Brent, there's no way you should have a flagging battery, you should be equipped at all times,there's a man in Chicago waiting on you as well, FFS!!!

Final score. Two each

Thanks for posting and keeping us up to speed, Brent.

Thanks Brent, we would have gone top with a win tonight, second now to Chelsea a point behind and played a game more than them.

Everton's next game is in about three weeks, Derby away which is being screened on the Derby County website.

highlights

Watch Simms goal for Gordon's brilliant run and shot which hit the bar.

Thanks for the reporting Brent.

Steve (31), thanks for the highlights.

Steve, thanks for the highlights!

Saw the highlights. Also saw the Everton team come out mascots who were dressed in red and white tops. What was the connection yesterday? Assume some association with Bradley Lowery/Sunderland

Just watched the highlights.
The last goal shows the difference between natural strikers and Calvert-Lewin, Simms anticipated a rebound and was on hand to score.

I like Calvert-Lewin and believe he can be a 10-15 goal striker, but don't think he'll ever have that instinct. Good to see that Simms is still scoring when he's not the biggest and fastest on the pitch like he was for the U18's.

Our U23s are showing something that the first team is clearly lacking - fight. Can anyone imagine us coming back to get a result from a goal down, let alone two, in a Premier League game?

Hopefully one or two of our youngsters can make the big step up. I was very disappointed that Gordon wasn't on the bench for the match against Wednesday.

Hi John @ 36,

I appreciate it's not the current team but I do remember not too long ago Everton came back from 2 down to beat Watford who were managed by Marco Silva!

As for the current team, you're right... on present form, no chance!

That looked a very dubious penalty they were rewarded. Cracking finish by Evans. Lovely shape and strike of the free kick. He always impresses for me.

Talking of young players, Dave Abrahams you asked me to keep you briefed on Renier Jesus and how he performed (if selected) in the harder fixtures his club Flamengo faced after he scored and got an assist in 76 minutes game time against bottom club Avai.

Well, in the 3 games since he has sat on the bench. Unused sub v 2nd placed Santos in a 1-0 win for Flamengo. Unused sub against relegation-threatened Cruzeiro in a 2-1 win. And on Wednesday, he came on as sub and played just 21 minutes against another of Brazil's better teams International (the previous week they were losing finalists in the Brazil Cup) and did nothing of note.

Quite a story behind the game. Flamengo, after a long deliberation, won a VAR penalty on 18 minutes and International had the offending player sent off. Things got even worse for International on 44 minutes when Guerrero (the Peruvian captain and striker, who fellow professionals lobbied for and won for him to appear at last year's WC, even though he was suspended from football for a year for failing a drugs test) was also sent off for completely losing his head.

He was beaten in a fair aerial challenge which left him bloodied and he went ape shit. All hell broke out. Even the Flamengo manager, the Portuguese Jorge Jesus, was seen getting very, VERY heated with one of his own players in the resulting melee.

Incredibly, down to NINE men, International equalised at the start of the 2nd half and were being very resolute. As they tired, Flamengo finally added two more goals to run out 3-1 winners.

But as I said up top, Renier didn't shine even against just 9 tiring men.

Come January, if we do dip into the market for a striker, I have to say Gabriel Barbosa - aka Gabigol - continues to really, REALLY impress at Flamengo.

Signed by Inter Milan aged just 19, never got a look in there even after scoring on his debut, or on loan to Benfica. Returned to Brazil on loan to lower team strugglers Santos last season and banged in 18 goals that lifted them to upper table. Still on loan this season at league leaders Flamengo, currently on 18 league goals in 17 games, 5 in 9 the the Libertadores, scored in all of his last 8 games.

Just turned 23 in August, he looks a player reborn and would be a crowd favourite if he ever wore the Blue of Everton. He has a swagger, an arrogance, about him which is not misplaced.

His loan with Flamengo ends on 31 December. His contract with Milan runs until June 2021. They obviously don't want him. He could be bought for a relatively low price, perhaps.

One worth pursuing, I believe.