Shakespeare pays tribute to Lookman’s leading role

Stand-in manager Craig Shakespeare hailed Ademola Lookman and Everton’s youngsters as a starting XI with an average age of 23 delivered a win in their final Europa League contest.

Shakespeare, who took charge while Sam Allardyce remained at home due to a pre-arranged medical appointment, witnessed a makeshift team ensure Everton did not finish bottom of the group.

Debutants Harry Charsley and Fraser Hornby started for the dead rubber, and Shakespeare introduced three teenagers from the bench for their maiden first-team appearances, one of whom was 16-year-old Anthony Gordon.

It was the youngest starting lineup deployed by an English team for a European group game in eight years and it was 20-year-old-lookman who caught the eye with a first-half brace before Nikola Vlasic added a third late on.

Asked whether he thought winger Lookman could be an important player for the Toffees, Shakespeare said: “I do. Remember he’s only young and there were a lot of young players on that pitch.

“Of course as young players they need the opportunity, but they also need to show the ability as well. He [Lookman] did tonight.

“We just said to the squad after, look at this as a starting block and in football you get your just rewards most of the time. The work ethic was there for all to see and so were the rewards. Hopefully that will give the young boys confidence.”