'It felt like a win' - Ainsley Maitland-Niles reflects on dramatic 96th-minute debut equaliser against Manchester United
Toffees salvage dramatic point
Everton rallied from behind twice to secure a valuable point with a dramatic stoppage-time goal. Bryan Mbeumo gave the visitors the lead before Tyrique George levelled matters, only for substitute Benjamin Sesko to seemingly fire United to victory in the 88th minute. Maitland-Niles then capitalised on defensive panic in the 96th minute, rifling an unstoppable strike into the top corner to preserve the hosts' unbeaten league start.
Debut hero salutes spirit
Maitland-Niles enjoyed a dream start to life with the Toffees by capping his club debut with an emotional late equaliser. Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Arsenal man said: "It felt like a win. We dug deep and managed to get a point in the end. The crowd were with us, and we were fighting to the end, and that's why you get those results.
"It's amazing [to get the goal]; everyone wants to start off like that, and thankfully I did. The ball fell to me on the edge of the box; I put my foot through it, and it ended up in the top corner, which I'm happy about. I came in to work hard. It's a team full of hard workers, so I fit right in. I'm going to show I can fit right in and pull my weight and give as much as everyone else, if not more."
Milestones highlight resilient display
Timed at 95:11, the strike represents Everton's latest Premier League goal at their new stadium. Alongside ending his personal drought in the competition stretching back to December 2018, Maitland-Niles became the first player in club history to score from outside the penalty area on his Premier League debut.
Manager David Moyes, who felt his side warranted all three points, told Sky Sports: "I'm disappointed that it was only a point. I wish it was three points. I think they deserved it as well. The stadium's been needing some special moments, and maybe it wasn't special enough, but it was important for us not to lose. You want to build a bit of momentum. Hopefully, the group of players we've got here will stick together, look after each other, which I thought they did."
Tough tests await both
Eighth-placed Everton will look to extend their unbeaten start when they head to north London to face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, September 12. United, by contrast, have little time to dwell on their late defensive lapse with European commitments on the immediate horizon. Michael Carrick's side host Azerbaijani outfit Sabah at Old Trafford on Thursday to kick off their Champions League campaign.
