Loanee of Everton Richard Keys and Andy Gray give Neal Maupay a hard time before to Brentford vs. Liverpool.

Loanee of Everton Richard Keys and Andy Gray give Neal Maupay a hard time before to Brentford vs. Liverpool.

Richard Keys and Andy Gray criticized Neal Maupay as the most “irritating” player in the Premier League during his time at Brentford following his struggles at Everton.

The beIN Sports pundits made their remarks during the broadcaster’s

Premier League coverage on February 17, just before Brentford suffered

a 4-1 defeat at home to Liverpool.

Both Keys and Gray expressed their frustration with Maupay’s behavior,

considering it unacceptable given his lack of impact at Goodison Park before

his loan back to Brentford this season.

They pointed out confrontations Maupay has had with other players this season,

labeling him the “premier wind-up merchant.”

Keys remarked, “Is there a more irritating player in the Premier

League right now, with little to back up his antics, than Neal Maupay?” Gray concurred, adding, “No. No. No…

When you think of how poor he was at Everton, and how insignificant he was at

Everton, he’s got an awful lot to say for himself at the moment.”

Maupay’s propensity to infuriate opponents has been a characteristic of his playing style,

and it was arguably a factor in his effectiveness at Brighton and his resurgence at Brentford.

However, his lack of this trait during his time at Everton contributed to his

struggles there, making him appear lost as a player.

Maupay’s transfer to Everton from Brighton, orchestrated by Frank Lampard,

seemed questionable even before Lampard’s departure and his

subsequent replacement by Sean Dyche, which marginalized Maupay within the squad.

His poor goal-scoring record of one goal in 32 games for Everton reflects the failure of the deal.

Despite criticism from Keys and Gray, Maupay has found success at Brentford this

season, scoring seven goals in 19 games. This improved performance aligns with his apparent increase in

confidence, which has also led to his tendency to provoke opponents.

It is suggested that Maupay’s role at Brentford differs from his use at Everton, where he was

not deployed primarily as a number nine replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. With other players coming into

the squad, it is implied that a permanent move to Brentford in the summer

might be the best outcome for all parties involved.

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