Martinez: Long Showed His Hunger For First Team Football.


Roberto Martinez has praised Chris Long for making the most of his first Everton start.

The 19-year-old was handed a chance to stake a claim for a first-team role this season in the Blues' final pre-season friendly at SC Paderborn on Saturday.

Having already pleased his manager in two substitute run-outs this summer, Long produced a moment of real class to open the scoring in an eventual 3-1 defeat.

Dragging the ball away from his marker, the striker, who last season had a loan spell in League One with MK Dons, brilliantly angled his shot away from goalkeeper Lukas Kruse and into the top corner.

"The way Chris took his goal was fantastic," said Martinez afterwards. "The way he showed very clever movement off the ball, I think he showed he's a young man who's asking for a big opportunity in the first team.