Ashley Young has spoken of how much he is enjoying his time at Everton and his confidence that Sean Dyche’s team can start building some momentum having now put their horrendous start to the season behind them.
The Blues lost all four of their opening Premier League fixtures, twice surrendering two-goal leads and then letting three points slip at Leicester City but the draw at the King Power Stadium was the first of four unbeaten games that has lifted the Club clear of the bottom three.
Originally acquired as cover for the full-back positions, Young has been pressed into regular service due to injuries to Seamus Coleman, Nathan Patterson and Vitalii Mykolenko, his longevity defying his 39 years, and he has been an important part of the recent run that has stabilised Everton’s form.
“Of course [confidence is starting to grow into the group],” he told evertontv in a recent chat at Finch Farm. “I said from the start when we were not winning games but we were playing well and just not getting results that, at some point, it was going to change.
“In the last few games when we’ve gone unbeaten it’s shown that we’ve been putting points on the board and I think it was a really good team performance [against Ipswich] on the weekend.
“We haven’t had the results I believe we should have had this season … but the momentum is coming back and [in] the next few games, we’re looking to build on what we’ve created. And that’s just through the hard work we’ve been doing day in and day out.”
Young was asked whether he’s at the stage of his career where he feels comfortable playing no matter where he is asked to and he replied with a grin:
“Yeah, I am. I think throughout my career the only position I’ve not played is actually in goal — and I’m not looking to go there any time soon!
“It’s one of those things — as you get older you start to know the game and read the game more and more and . You know I found that especially going to full-back as I have been in recent years that you start learning the game and being able to to know positions on the pitch, where to be where not to be.”
That versatility was one of the key reasons why Everton opted to pick Young up as a free agent after he left Aston Villa in the summer of 2023, along with the vast experience gained from two decades playing at the top level, including his spells with Manchester United and Inter Milan.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the Stevenage-born utility man, however. He was sent off for two bookable offences in last season’s Anfield derby and it was his saved penalty that saw the Blues exit the Carabao Cup in the third round this season. That has garnered criticism from some quarters at time but he says that that is part and parcel of being a professional player and he has felt the support from supporters in recent matches where he has been one of Sean Dyche’s most consistent performers.
“I’ve felt the love from the time I signed for the Club,” Young admits. “It’s one of those things where you get criticism, you get praise. It’s just the way that football is and whether I get criticised or not, I’m still going out there to do my job and give 100%.
“I’ve always said the fans, home or away, have been fantastic and they’re always there with us, always behind us.
“I’m really enjoying my time here. You know, from the time I spoke to the manager about come to sign here I’ve loved walking through the door. The players, the staff, like I say, the whole club has taken me in and I’m really enjoying myself.
“I said at the time when I came here, the size of the Club was a massive factor, the players, the staff and the manager were a massive factor in me coming here.
“And I’ve always seen Everton as a massive club and being high up the table. Obviously the last few years it hasn’t been that way and it’s been difficult, but I think things are starting to change and the feeling is there.”