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Jack Grealish explains why he kissed the Everton badge after his winner against Bournemouth

Jack Grealish explains why he kissed the Everton badge after his 79th minute winner against Bournemouth on Tuesday night.

The game lacked clear chances, and looked to be heading for a draw, but Grealish’s 20-yard strike took a big deflection off Bafode Diakite, beating Djordje Petrovic and gave the Toffees a second straight win on the road.

Grealish is now on two goals and four assists in 13 Premier League games for Everton, with Moyes hoping the player can kick on.

The result condemned Bournemouth to a fourth defeat in five games, dropping to 14th spot, while Everton move up to 9th place, but are just one point off Brighton in 5th.

Everton forward Jack Grealish speaking to Sky Sports: “In the first half it was an even game. We had good bits of play but we didn’t really threaten the goal much. Then in the second half we got the goal and then just defended after that. It was difficult but it was a good win in the end.”

On his goal: “I have scored two goals now this season, one was a tackle and one was a deflection, but I got hammered for years for not scoring so I am taking both of the goals. It’s good to be contributing. It’s a brilliant team.

“I love the manager to pieces. I have only known him for a few months and I can’t speak highly enough of him as a person and how he makes me feel. How he makes me want to go there and play for him, so credit to him.

On kissing the badge for his goal celebration: “All the teams I’ve played on loan for, even at Notts County, I’ve was so lucky to have a good connection with the fanbase. Aston Villa was brilliant, obviously I’m an Aston Villa fan. I go to City and I have such a good connection there, and now here too. I’m lucky that I’ve had such great clubs and fanbases, and this is another one. They have been so good to me.

“Today I think at the start of the second half they wanted more from me. I don’t think I played that well. And then Pickers came up to me and said, “That was your worst game and you got the winner.” They were singing my name before the goal, so they wanted more from me and I gave it to them.”

Grealish speaking to Sky Sports: “I feel like every time you come here, no matter what team and what manager, I feel like it is always so hard, even when I was at City. Someone told me before the game that Everton don’t have the best record here. I don’t think they’ve ever won here, so it was nice.

“It was a difficult game against a really good side, very aggressive, always on the front foot, so to get the win, yeah, we’re really happy.

“We’re doing well. The last game was… We’ve had a few games like that at home where we’ve conceded quite early and flopped a bit for the rest of the game. We’re in the top half of the league now.

“I know we got pumped last game but we have still won three of the last four. We have another tough game on Saturday then two really, really tough games against first and second. If someone says they are not looking at the table, they are lying, because you are. Three points off the top four now, so take each game as it comes and fingers crossed.”

Everton boss David Moyes speaking to Sky Sports: “It was a brilliant effort considering what we had available to us. We were really concerned before the game, especially coming to Bournemouth because our record here has never been great. So to get a win here was really good. Maybe we just caught Bournemouth at the right time as well.

“I knew if we didn’t concede we would have a great chance of winning the game, so the plan was to make sure that we didn’t concede. We did it at Old Trafford last week and we’ve done it again tonight. But look, we had other moments where we could have maybe scored another goal or two and we didn’t give them too many opportunities.

“It was a tight game, it could have maybe gone Bournemouth’s way as well. I thought the first goal was always going to be the crucial goal.”

On another game with makeshift defensive solutions: “The big thing was O’Brien going into centre half and he has played well. He’s got good competition, or he’s had to get rid of the competition with Keane’s form so far and even with Branthwaite. We are hoping we can get back to a full squad but I have to say that the boys at the back did a great job when required.”

On being three points off the top four: “Three wins out of four. We’ve been away at Old Trafford and now here at Bournemouth, so that is really positive. We want to keep going. I’d really like to try to challenge the top boys and keep ourselves near Europe if I can, but we are always looking over our shoulder because the teams below are never that far away.”

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola speaking to Sky Sports: “We played the game that Everton wanted to play. A low rhythm game, not a lot of chances for any of the teams. We haven’t been good enough.

“I think that it was going to be one goal for one team or the other, and they were closer than us. I think it is a deserved win [for Everton]. It looked like at the end that it could finish 0-0 but especially on the ball we have been very poor in the build up.

“We struggled in the build up and when you do that you don’t press properly and you don’t demand from Everton defensively. Then it is much more difficult to press them also because they are fresh, they have very good quality players and it is not easy to take the ball from them.

“We were not conceding too many chances but we have played their game and then it is a matter of one set play, they have countered and they score well with the deflection. They were closer than us to scoring in the game that really we haven’t played well at all.

“I think we have defended really well. It think Alex [Jimenez] has done a really good job with him [Grealish] but this can’t happen. They have quality players that can make the difference. Yes there is the deflection but we maybe have to look before.

“Today I don’t think we have been brave enough on the ball and this makes you look worse defensively. We were defending well in terms of ok we were not playing the game we want but defending set pieces and things but when you don’t control games things can happen.”

 Iraola speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “It has been a really poor game from our side. We’ve been bad on the ball, our build up hasn’t been good today, and once you are not good with the ball you will not look good without the ball.

“The game has gone on the routes that Everton wanted, not a lot of rhythm, quite slow, not any big chances for any of the teams. I was expecting to concede set pieces and it was dangerous. I’m definitely disappointed with the performance. The result is bad. We lacked energy.

“A lot of things were not happening. I think we should have been much ore aggressive on the ball and without the ball. They scored one goal but I think they controlled the game more than us. It could have finished 0-0 but it was not the game we wanted to play.

On the drop off in form: “A lot of reasons. The other day we lost a game that we had a lot in our favour and also we lose five very important players for us. In the middle we lacked energy, Christie, Cook, we missed players that give us that energy.

“I think we will recover some of the players but we still do not recover some players with the five yellow cards so we will have to think of other players to give us energy. [Today] has been a bad result but we have to stay together, analyse and we have to use this loss to try to do a reset and think properly about things we need to do better.”

Here’s how fans reacted as Jack Grealish explains why he kissed the Everton badge after his winner against Bournemouth…

@RDuffy16: Players like Jack Grealish playing for upper mid table clubs is exactly what the Premier league needs. He’s this generations Le Tissier/Ginola. Absolutely wasted at a club like City.

@MHolloway71594: Has a Villa fan I’m chuffed he’s playing so well for Everton. Your manager realised he’s a free will on the pitch and plays him to his strengths.

@chris_j_wallis: As a Villa fan, couldn’t be happier to see him loving his football again 💜

@balboanorth: Always loved Jack . . . and yes, I’m a Bluenose but like some of my mates: they’re Villa but they can’t help that and they’re likeable

@Kag1878: How can you not love this fella , ffs please stay 🙏🏻 💙

@Ianthetechman: He should never have been a Manchester city player. He was never used properly and never appreciated by the manager. He is feeling the love now and it shows in the way he is playing.

@juliekennedy63: And we love you UTT 💙

@JoeDimaggio54: As a Villa fan it’s great to see a happy Jack producing the goods for the Toffees! You are a good person Jack, don’t overdo it with the night life 👍 UTV

@manny_1988: Don’t fall in love with a loan player 🥹

@grastaff: You know he plays in royal blue because guardiola hasn’t got a clue, Jackie Grealish is our winger, Jackie Grealish, Jackie Grealish, Jackie Grealish is our winger 🎶🎶💙

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