After transfer worries, Everton have an unlikely new hero

Not even Ainsley Maitland-Niles could have imagined his Premier League return would have played out like this.

Everton's solution at right-back - a deadline-day signing from Lyon - was on the pitch for less than 20 minutes before being ushered towards the euphoric Toffees supporters after earning a 2-2 draw against Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

By marking his first appearance in English football since 2023 with a spectacular strike, the 29-year-old became the first Everton player in eight years to score on his debut.

"From the first day you could feel the energy, the fight and the spirit in the building," Maitland-Niles told BBC Match of the Day.

"It's contagious and it always will be playing for Everton."

It was only last weekend that Maitland-Niles was an unused substitute in Lyon's 1-1 draw with Le Havre in Ligue 1.

He was into his fourth season with the club, having moved to France after his Arsenal contract expired.

Eight days later he has already made his mark on Merseyside.

There was some bemusement among supporters when Everton announced the arrival of Maitland-Niles, who has endured something of a nomadic career since making his professional debut for Arsenal in a Champions League tie against Galatasaray in 2014.

He had spells on loan at Ipswich, West Brom, Roma and Southampton before finally leaving his boyhood club in 2023.

His move to seven-time French champions Lyon did not pan out the way he would have expected.

Maitland-Niles hoped to finally put to bed the debate over his best position, with the majority of his previous managers viewing him as a versatile figure who could be deployed in defence or attack.

But even after making close to 100 appearances in Ligue 1, he was unable to establish himself as such in France.

Following the retirement of Seamus Coleman at the end of last season, Everton chief executive Angus Kinnear spoke about taking their time to find a replacement.

When they eventually settled on Maitland-Niles, it was not the coup supporters had envisaged after a tedious, summer-long search.

That opinion is sure to have shifted - even if only slightly - after he scored his first Premier League goal in almost seven years on Sunday.

"Our main feeling was we didn't know enough about him since we got him in," said manager David Moyes. "We haven't had much chance to get to know him.

"It was a brilliant goal and a great finish. It's a good start for him and it will help him settle in as well."

Sunday's draw came at the end of a tormenting eight-day period for Everton.

It began during last weekend's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, when news broke that Everton had accepted a bid from Nottingham Forest for highly rated youngster Harrison Armstrong.

After the travelling supporters made their fury known, the Everton board - led by chairman Dan Friedkin - cancelled the midfielder's move.

But the decision to keep Armstrong meant Everton had to raise funds elsewhere before Tuesday's deadline.

That meant sanctioning the sale of Iliman N'Diaye to Manchester City in a deal worth up to £65m, while striker Beto and right-back Nathan Patterson also departed.

Kinnear's failure to bring in more replacements - a deal for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun collapsed - has left Moyes with only 18 senior outfield players until January at least.

That shortage is expected to be felt particularly in the attacking third, with Everton now relying on the erratic finishing of Thierno Barry.

The Frenchman, who is their top scorer in all competitions this season, spent much of the match against United on the periphery.

By heading over Merlin Rohl's cross towards the end of the first half, Barry took his total for big chances missed to four in the Premier League this term.

"It was a performance which the Everton fans have grown used to from Barry - frustrating at times," former England and Everton striker Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport.

"When he has time on the ball, he can be frustrating and a bit sloppy. He got the one chance and possibly could have done a bit better.

"He's had a good start to the season, but it was quite a typical performance."

It took two fine strikes - from Tyrique George and Maitland-Niles, to earn Everton a point their performance deserved.

After spending the second half of last season on loan at Everton, George, 20, made his move permanent in July.

The first Premier League goal of his career - a thunderous strike past Senne Lammens at the near post, capped a fine performance.

"He's a young player. Today he was a problem for them at different times," said Moyes.

"His finish was very good when we needed it. He'll continue to improve."

After a week dominated by conversations about what Everton did not do in the transfer window, it was the work of two new arrivals that helped preserve their unbeaten start to the campaign.