Everton’s deadline‑day signing rescues point against Manchester United

Everton completed the signing of Ainsley Maitland‑Niles from Lyon for £4.2m on deadline day, and the former Arsenal midfielder repaid the fee by netting a 96th‑minute equaliser to secure a 2‑2 draw with Manchester United – a relief for a side still reeling after Folarin Balogun’s last‑minute U‑turn.

Everton’s deadline‑day recruitment

The Toffees’ transfer window ended in chaos, with Balogun walking away on Tuesday and several targets left untouched. Yet the club managed to bring in Tyrique George for £18m and, crucially, secured Maitland‑Niles as a low‑cost, £4.2m replacement for the injured James Garner and a backup for Seamus Coleman.

Moyes explained that the right‑back was signed only 45 minutes before the window closed, describing him as the third option at the position and a “brilliant goal” on debut. The manager also noted that James Garner left the field after a minute with cramp, forcing the quick introduction of the new signing.

Late heroics seal the draw

After Tyrique George’s earlier strike, the match hung in the balance until the stoppage‑time moment when Maitland‑Niles received the ball 25 yards out and curled it into the top corner. He later said, “It’s amazing, everyone wants to start off like that and thankfully I did.”

David Moyes praised the effort, calling it “a brilliant goal” and insisting the team must “muck in” after the disappointment of the transfer saga. Former Arsenal player Maitland‑Niles added, “It’s amazing, everyone wants to start off like that and thankfully I did.”

Manchester United’s night was marred by missed chances, including Bruno Fernandes’ shot that struck the bar and a late header from Benjamin Sesko that failed to settle the match. United’s early dominance did not translate into a decisive lead.

The article’s Comments section invites readers to Go to the discussion, while the Bookmark feature was Removed from the page. The Independent, a US‑focused outlet, highlighted the story alongside coverage of Big Tech, Elon Musk’s pro‑Trump PAC and even a reference to the word ‘Word’.

With the point secured, Everton can look beyond the transfer turmoil and focus on building momentum, while United must regroup after conceding a stoppage‑time equaliser that left them short of the win.