Maitland-Niles' stoppage-time equalizer rescues Everton as deadline-day signing finally pays off

They make you suffer. Goodness, they really make you suffer.

But that is Everton, and they are determined not to change.

From despair to redemption and then back to despair again — as Sunday's 2-2 draw with Manchester United came to an end, the scenes on the touchline showed arms raised in celebration: players surrounded Ainsley Maitland-Niles after he scored the late equalizer, while the stands were equally full of excitement.

Members of the club's internal commentary team embraced the fans in front of them; manager David Moyes celebrated with a fist pump. The supporters stayed in the stands and sang praises for this thinly stretched squad — and with only three rounds of the 2026-27 Premier League season played, this team already appeared close to breaking point.

Everton showed defiance, especially after a week of the kind of chaos and turmoil they are most familiar with. Fortunately for Moyes and the club's management, this team and its supporters are equally capable of showing defiance, because in the coming months they may need to summon that spirit countless times if they are to overcome the obvious challenges ahead.

There has already been extensive discussion and reporting about the agonizing conclusion to their summer transfer window: they failed to sign a suitable backup full-back, players departed, and more importantly, negotiations for the transfer of United States international Folarin Balogun collapsed at the final moment, leaving Moyes with only one recognized center-forward.

The irony today was that the player making the headlines was precisely Maitland-Niles, who had only completed his signing on Tuesday. Without midfielder James Garner going off with cramps after filling in at right-back for a few minutes, he might not have received the chance to play at all.

When the clock reached 95 minutes and 10 seconds, the 29-year-old substitute, who had come on in the 77th minute, delivered the decisive blow. His shot flew like a missile into the top corner of the goal in front of the South Stand at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and goalkeeper Senne Lammens did not even have time to react.

For a player who had made 119 appearances for French club Lyon over the previous three seasons and scored only six goals, this was a very good return.