David Moyes comments about Everton player surprised me – it should be behind closed doors

Everton FA Cup winner Anders Limpar believes David Moyes’ tough words over Beto in pre-season were designed to be “a kick up the a**”.

Limpar has high hopes for his former club this season and believes the addition of Jack Grealish could help the Blues climb into the top 10. In order to do that, someone will have to put away the chances created by Grealish and those around him, with that responsibility set to fall on Beto.

Moyes appeared to have concerns over the striker’s output in pre-season, going public with his frustration.

He said in his press conference ahead of the friendly with Manchester United at the start of the month: “I’ve been a bit disappointed with Beto and I’ve told him. We’re needing a bit more and he can do more and he has done more. So we’re hoping we can get a bit more from him, but he’s a really honest working lad and I’m sure he’ll try and prove that tonight.”

Beto scored just once in pre-season, finishing from the spot in the first friendly of the build-up – a draw at Accrington Stanley. His position has the potential to come under threat from new signing Thierno Barry, a summer addition from Villarreal.

He has been given the number nine shirt, however, and played the full match as Everton started their Premier League campaign with a defeat at Leeds United on Monday.

For Limpar, Moyes’ pre-season criticism came as a surprise. But, he told Premier League Betting, he believes the comments were intended to give the player a push heading into the new season.

He said: “Over the years you would have never ever heard Moyes criticise a player. Suddenly he criticised Beto. I’m not sure why he’d do that. I know Moyes that he will probably sit down with him hours and hours and tell him what to do and not to do so I’m a little bit surprised that he’s telling everybody he hasn’t got a good preseason. You should take that behind closed doors.

“Moyes is not just verbal. He’s a thinker. He thinks before he speaks. So for some reason it has to come out in his eyes. Probably a kick up the a**, I think that.”