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Joao Virginia walked into the home changing room after making his first appearance from Everton and received a standing ovation.

The young Portuguese had just made a confident, and hugely impressive, start to life at his new club.

David Unsworth would not hold back in his praise, either.

“What he's done tonight is set a standard I've not seen at this level from a goalkeeper.”

Everton's under-23s had responded from a poor first-half display to take control of the second-half and see off a powerful Leicester City side 1-0 thanks to Bassala Sambou's goal.

But throughout the game, even when the Blues were off the pace in the opening 45 minutes, Virginia showed consistency.

His Everton bow, in front of Marcel Brands and first-team goalkeeping coach Hugo Olivera, was confident, brave and, in the closing stages, points-saving as he shifted his weight to tip Raul Uche Rubio's deflected shot wide for a corner.

Virginia, signed from Arsenal this summer, showed he comfortable he is at coming for crosses, how adept he is with the ball at his feet and how alert he remains for the full 90 minutes.

(Image: Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)

“Outstanding, absolutely outstanding,” Unsworth said.

“He's a great lad, got great English, he's commanding and what he's done tonight is set a standard I've not seen at this level from a goalkeeper.

“That's the standard we all must aspire to from a goalkeeping point of view and Alan (Kelly, u-23s goalkeeper coach) is delighted with him, as we all are.

“He got a standing ovation from the team because his performance warranted that.”

Virginia has been brought to the club as the first-team's third choice goalkeeper but Everton lent him to the u-23s for the evening so he could get some much needed game time.

Unsworth won't be keen on him returning to the senior set-up after this performance.

“It was an outstanding save (from Rubio), but it was also that he was so commanding from crosses and I've not seen it before, a performance like that from a goalkeeper at this level.

“If that's the standard he's bringing to the club then he's going to be a great acquisition for us.”