After an electric start to the season, the goals have somewhat dried up in recent weeks for Ireland's young superstar Evan Ferguson at Brighton.
The Bettystown native made a rapid start to the Premier League campaign, scoring on the first day against Luton before notching a sensational hat-trick against Newcastle in early September.
Still only 19, it seemed as though Ferguson was set up perfectly to cement his place in the Seagulls' starting XI. However, he has struggled in front of goal of late, with his last Premier League strike coming over two months ago against Nottingham Forest.
Perfect placed by Evan! 🤩🎯 pic.twitter.com/xaYog0kmB2
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) November 25, 2023
In that time, Ferguson has also struggled for regular game time, with Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi favouring Joao Pedro and veteran Danny Welbeck to the ex-Bohs striker. De Zerbi has given Ferguson some tough love in public in recent weeks - but teammate Welbeck has chosen a different approach.
Welbeck has praised Ferguson's contribution to Brighton, saying that the time is coming when he will find his shooting boots again and cement his place as a pivotal player for the team.
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Evan Ferguson: Danny Welbeck says Brighton will "rely" on Irishman
Welbeck spoke to The Argus, a Brighton-based newspaper, and praised his "terrific" teammate Evan Ferguson.
Acknowledging the discussions around Ferguson's ongoing goal drought, Welbeck said he had no concerns about the youngster, and that he would prove any doubters wrong in no time:
Evan is a terrific player. He is a predator in the box and, when those opportunities arise for him, he always puts them away.
We are going to rely on him heavily.
He is so important for us and we are just waiting for maybe one of those square passes and he puts it in the back of the net and everybody's opinions change.
Even with a barren period in front of goal taken into account, Ferguson is still well ahead of where we could have expected him to be at this age.
With that November strike against Nottingham Forest, his 11th of 2023, Ferguson equalled Wayne Rooney's 18-year record for the highest scoring 18 months for a teenager in Premier League history.
His stats still compare very favourably with the best young strikers in Europe, and one would be extremely foolish to think there is not a huge future ahead of the Irishman.
The well-deserved praise from his senior teammate Welbeck will hopefully do wonders for Evan Ferguson's confidence, as he fights to win his place back in the Brighton team.
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