The repercussions started almost as soon as the ball hit the back of the Everton net.
Captain James Tarkowski turned in the direction of 20-year-old Tyrique George and shrugged his shoulders, before pointing at Brentford full-back Michael Kayode.
Even from the vantage point of the Gtech Community Stadium press box, on the other side of the pitch, the message needed little deciphering. It could probably have been boiled down to a simple: ‘Your man’.
There may have been an element of fortune about Igor Thiago’s second strike of Saturday afternoon — the Brazilian inadvertently diverted Kayode’s shot past a wrong-footed Jordan Pickford to put Brentford 2-1 up against their rivals for a European spot — but the Italian should have been stopped by Chelsea loanee George and others long before he reached the edge of the Everton area.
Moments like these can count against George and other young players who are just starting out. For risk-averse managers, they can be seen as evidence of the perils of inexperience. This was not a major error by any means, but it looked like it would cost Everton dearly. Defeat in west London would have seen Brentford pull three points clear in the race for Europe on a day when fellow contenders Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool also won.
It was not the impact manager David Moyes would have envisaged when he made his triple substitution two minutes earlier, with the scores still level. Introducing winger George, striker Thierno Barry and midfielder Tim Iroegbunam had been Moyes’ attempt to seize the initiative and find a route to victory in a key game.
Michael Kayode celebrates Brentford’s second goal as James Tarkowski shows his frustration (Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
Thiago’s goal was the latest cruel setback for a side that had conceded a penalty after three minutes and narrowly withstood an aerial bombardment early in the second half. Minutes before Brentford’s second, they had wasted their own big opportunity to take the lead, when midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall delayed too long with only goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to beat.
This was not a vintage performance, but Everton and George did not go under. Away from home, they tend not to do so.
Nobody typified their late resurgence better than the young winger.
George was a dynamic threat from the left wing. Pacy and direct, he offers Moyes a point of difference in attack. Other options, such as Iliman Ndiaye, Dwight McNeil and Tyler Dibling, prefer the ball to feet, but George can stretch play and strike from range.
Whether coming inside onto his stronger right foot or hitting the outside and using his left foot to stand crosses up to the back post, George gave the otherwise impressive Kayode a torrid time, twisting him one way and then the other. He saw a stinging shot saved by Kelleher and was involved in the build-up to Dewsbury-Hall’s 91st-minute equaliser.
His ability to threaten the goal had been a major reason Everton wanted to bring him to Merseyside after Jack Grealish succumbed to a season-ending injury in January.
“I was pleased,” Moyes said in his post-match press conference after the 2-2 draw. “I’ve liked (what I’ve seen of) Tyrique and we will try and get him minutes and opportunities when we can.
“He’s got good control, he wants to score — I like that and you saw it today. It is important because we rely a lot on Ili (Ndiaye). Brentford rely on (Kevin) Schade and their wide players.
“With wingers now, you’ve got to have a contribution with goals and assists. He’s a young boy who will obviously continue to develop, I’ve got no doubt about that.”
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall celebrates scoring Everton’s late equaliser at Brentford (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
George has enjoyed a low-key start to life on Merseyside since joining temporarily from Chelsea at the end of the January window. He has played just 120 minutes of football for Everton, excluding stoppage time, with his solitary start coming in the 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth in February.
There have been ups and downs. Cameos against Fulham on debut and Manchester United showcased his ability to drive from deep, beat players and fashion chances. Against Bournemouth, though, he had little joy against Alex Jimenez and was unable to combine with left-back Vitalii Mykolenko to stop dangerman Rayan. Moyes had been preparing to withdraw George before Rayan’s equaliser.
Everton have the option to buy George at the end of the season. The fee has yet to be disclosed, but sources with knowledge of the deal, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, have suggested the Merseyside club will have to pay around £25million ($33.6m) to make the move permanent. Moyes has until the end of the season — six more games — to run the rule over a player who has impressed in fleeting glimpses behind the scenes, but is yet to produce a truly standout moment. He is judging potential as much as anything.
The Everton manager was pleased with the impact of his substitutes late in the game and heralded the “maturity” and “resilience” of his side on the road.
They have made a habit of striking late on their travels, doing so against Brighton, Fulham and Newcastle United in recent months. Together with Saturday’s equaliser, those goals have seen Everton secure seven additional points, something that could end up proving pivotal at the end of the season.
With six games left, they are still very much in the race for Europe.
It would not be without risk, but Saturday showed George could still be their wildcard if harnessed correctly.