AL AIN // For a team of Kompanys and Kolarovs, Silvas and Sagnas, the name George Evans seems to lack a certain element of exoticism.
The young Englishman has been with Manchester City since the age of nine and witnessed the club go from struggling for survival in the Premier League to home of some of the game’s most coveted players.
The 20 year old with the crinkled brown hair and the No70 shirt entered the field at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday night against Hamburg as a half-time substitute, replacing fellow academy graduate Brandon Barker. Within 10 minutes, he had notched an assist to help his side open the scoring in their 2-0 victory.
Never venturing too far forward, Evans appeared content to play the defensive midfielder role and in the 50th minute took a couple of touches before releasing a pin-point 50-yard pass directly on to the chest of Stevan Jovetic. The Montenegrin forward took the ball down and struck it past the outrushing Hamburg goalkeeper, Drobny Jaroslav.
“George is a young player who usually works with us during the week,” City coach Manuel Pellegrini said post-match. “He is part of the [development] squad that is coached by Patrick Vieira and tonight he played a very good game and showed his personality.
“I know him very well because he trains with us normally, so I am very happy for him.”
Showing a vocal confidence, Evans looked at ease throughout his 45 minute shift, ensuring he was always open for the ball and, even after a few misplaced passes, refused to be discouraged.
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In the 70th minute, shortly before Edin Dzeko doubled City’s lead, the right-footed Evans received the ball in a tight space in the centre of the field, dropped a shoulder and successfully squeezed between two opposition players to emerge comfortably with the ball.
When Dzeko did fire home, Evans was the first – and one of the few – who ran not to the goalscorer, but to James Milner, who had worked the ball brilliantly down the left wing before looking up and hitting a perfect cross to his Bosnian teammate.
Industriousness deserves its plaudits and a player who spent the majority of his performance inside the centre circle will have been acutely aware of this.
As the final whistle went, the inevitable clamour for the shirts of the Agueros, the Dzekos and the Jovetics ensued. Evans, with his sweat-soaked shirt stuck to his chest, walked off happy and unhassled – no exoticism, just youthful exuberance.
Pellegrini, like a gratified grandfather, gave his young charge a congratulatory pat on the back.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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