‘I just went in’ – Jake O’Brien lifts the lid on brawl and how David Moyes has changed Everton

Jake O’Brien has revealed what really happened during the post-match scuffle between Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion players. The summer signing also discussed the changes at the club since David Moyes took over as manager, leading them to a 1-0 win at the Amex Stadium for their first consecutive victories of the season.

Iliman Ndiaye’s 42nd-minute penalty was the match-winner, but after the final whistle, tensions flared on the pitch when some Brighton players confronted Jordan Pickford, who had earlier been booked by referee Tim Robinson for time-wasting.

O’Brien explained, “I think it was just frustration from them, and there was a bit of a scuffle with Pickford. I stepped in to separate things, but there wasn’t much to it.”

“Jordan’s a different character if you know him. He enjoys this kind of thing and, with his experience, he knows how to handle it.”

“He can upset other teams at times, but his only focus is helping us secure three points. He’s full of personality.”

“It’s clear why he’s England’s number one and one of the best keepers in the world. You can see it in the games – he makes incredible saves and gives us confidence knowing we have him behind us.”

Having waited until Everton’s 21st Premier League game of the season to start, O’Brien, who joined for £16.43 million from Olympique Lyonnais, was selected again to help Everton secure their second straight win over Brighton.

When asked about the changes since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche as manager, O’Brien said, “It’s hard for me to say since I’ve only been here six months, but personally, I feel things are clearer now. That could be because I’m playing more.”

“David Moyes has been great since he arrived, making things clearer for us. It’s hard to pinpoint, but there’s a lot more confidence and togetherness now. We’re not just a team that sits back; we’re a team that goes after games and tries to win.”

“You can see in our recent matches that we’re trying to play more football and take the game to other teams. The manager wants us to put pressure on and not just defend.”

Although O’Brien, standing at 6ft 6in, is primarily a centre-back, he’s relishing the chance to play on the right side of defense under Moyes.

O’Brien said, “It’s a different role I haven’t played much before, but Moyes has been great in explaining it. I’m not a natural right-back, but it’s part of my game to contribute going forward and also defend well, which you saw in this game.”

“The more I play, the more I’ll grow into it. That’s football – you adapt to new positions and styles of play. It’s great to have two wins in a row.”

“Brighton are a strong team, so we did our homework and knew it would be tough. At times, we had to sit back, as you saw in the second half. But we defended really well and, most importantly, kept a clean sheet.”

“It was an enjoyable performance. We stuck together. It wasn’t easy, but the most important thing is we got the three points from a difficult place. We’re making it tough for teams to play against us, and thankfully it paid off.”

While the first half of the season was frustrating for the 23-year-old, mainly due to being sidelined, he now feels part of a more united squad. He even celebrated a teammate’s crucial interception with an enthusiastic fist pump and appreciated the chance to celebrate with Everton’s traveling supporters who made the long journey from Merseyside.

O’Brien said, “It was frustrating, but I knew I needed to learn and wait for my chance. I didn’t expect it to take this long, but now I’m happy to be playing in whatever role the team needs and just glad to help.”

“It’s moments like that block that can turn games and bring confidence back to the team. Everyone is putting their body on the line, and those blocks push us over the line.”

“We’re really grateful to the fans who traveled such a long distance. It meant a lot to see them there.”

MSNfootballNews

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