Sean Dyche’s verdict on Everton’s Sheffield United draw as each side earn first point of season

Everton boss Sean Dyche was left bemoaning the “basics” he felt cost his side away at Sheffield United, as both sides claimed their first point of the season after an entertaining 2-2 draw. United could have won it right at the death but for Jordan Pickford’s remarkable double save to twice deny Oli McBurnie in the 99th minute.

Earlier Pickford had scored an unfortunate own goal after Cameron Archer’s shot hit the post and rebounded into the Everton net off the goalkeeper’s back, after Archer had cancelled out Abdoulaye Doucouré’s close-range opener. Arnaut Danjuma levelled the scores after a strong start to the second half from Everton and Dyche said: “Whether we deserve a point or not is irrelevant, the fact is that it is a point.

“Two goals on the road so I am happy with that. It is just the basics sometimes which are tripping us up, because I felt a lot of the performance was right again. Getting into the final third and then finding the key pass and making the right decision, which sometimes we didn’t always get right. The transition was good.

“First half in particular, we were one nil up and then we let them back into the game out of almost nothing. We had a good handle on the game and then they score one and then they get the second, and you are left scratching your head. Two basic principles of the way we play and we get them wrong.”

Archer the debut stand-out in United player ratings v Everton

New £26m signing Beto was a handful for United’s defence all afternoon, with Dyche adding: “The chance count has been getting better game by game and was decent again today. We got into some really good areas, and we keep looking a threat but you have to score.

“Today we got two goals which is important, to get that lift off and feeling for it. Beto made a difference, worked so hard and so did Arni. There are positive signs there but we have to make sure we take care of things but today I feel like it is one that got away, we had enough in the game to win.”