Yakubu: Richarlison Has Settled In Well At Everton
Former Everton and Nigerian forward Yakubu Aiyegbeni feels Richarlison has already settled in well at the Blue half of Merseyside and is getting the full backing of the Toffees.
Richarlison has made an impressive start to life at Everton. He bagged himself a brace on Saturday in Everton’s 3-1 Premier League victory against Brighton.
The brace took Richarlison’s tally to scored six in his last nine games for the Toffees.
Yakubu, who scored 23 goals in his first season at Goodison Park in 2007, knows what it is like to make an impact at Everton and feels the fans are fully behind Samba Boy Richarlison.
Speaking ahead of the SportPesa Trophy clash between Everton and Kenyan Premier League side Gor Mahia, Yakubu talked up Richarlison’s start.
“When you come to Everton you’re accepted by the fans,” he said. “You’ll be fine if the fans believe in you. Sometimes I went four games without scoring but they appreciate your hard work.
“I was lucky enough to get good players around me – leaders, like Phil Jagielka, Tim Cahill and Tim Howard, who made me feel at home and I didn’t struggle.
“I came to know these guys for my whole life and it’s special to play with players like this. I think Richarlison already has that feeling.”
Everton won the inaugural SportPesa Super Cup winners in 2017 when they defeated Gor Mahia 2-1 in Tanzania in July 2017
Aiyegbeni, who announced his retirement from football in 2017 started his career with Julius Berger FC in Lagos as a teenager in the Nigerian Premier League.
He was later loaned to Portuguese club Gil Vicente. He made 250 appearances in the English Premier League scoring 95 goals playing for Everton FC, Middlesborough FC, Portsmouth FC, and Blackburn.
Aiyegbeni is Nigeria’s third highest goalscorer with scored 21 goals in 57 appearances for the Super Eagles.