A round-up of the latest Everton news as Eddie Howe hails an ‘incredible’ Toffees man and Sean Dyche is now urged to axe a key player in his Blues line-up at Goodison Park.
Howe backs the ‘incredible’ Dyche to do big things at Everton
Newcastle United manager Howe believes Everton have an ‘incredible’ head coach in Dyche. The Magpies boss also tips the Kettering-born coach to do big things at Goodison Park. He notes how Dyche worked wonders under ‘difficult circumstances’ while in charge of Burnley.
Dyche guided the Turf Moor outfit to promotion into the Premier League twice during his 10-year tenure. He further took the Clarets into Europe in 2018 but their Europa League efforts fell away in the qualifying rounds. It followed their seventh-place finish in the 2017/18 term.
Howe believes Dyche now faces a new challenge at Everton after the Premier League issued a 10-point deduction. The Blues now sit 19th in the table after 13 games and are only above Burnley on goal difference. The Toffees are also five points from safety with only four points.
“The Everton situation came out of the blue, I think, for all of us, in terms of the verdict,” Howe said, via the Shields Gazette. “They’ve got an incredible manager there, who has done brilliant things previously in difficult circumstances and I’d back Sean to do the same again.”
Read more about what Newcastle boss Howe has had to say about Everton’s Dyche, here.
Ball urges Dyche to axe Young as he’s ‘letting the team down’
Michael Ball has now urged Dyche to axe Ashley Young as the right-back is ‘letting the team down’ at Everton. The former Toffees defender believes the wing-back needs to have some time out of the side as his errors are becoming more frequent and costing the Blues points.
Young endured his latest horror show on Sunday as Manchester United won 3-0 at Goodison Park. He also contributed to the penalty that Marcus Rashford converted to lead 2-0. Young dangled a foot just inside the area and invited Anthony Martial to ensure there was contact.
The 38-year-old was also already on a yellow card when he conceded the penalty to Martial. Referee John Brooks opted against giving Young a red card, though, after initially cautioning the defender after 21 minutes. It would have been his second red for two yellows this term.
“There are big question marks over Ashley Young now,” Ball told the Liverpool Echo. “He’s experienced and he’s had a fantastic career. But it seems to be him letting the team down with his decision-making.
“At that point, tiredness might’ve set in. I don’t want to blame his age but it’s not the first time a poor decision has cost us at a crucial time…
“Sometimes it takes a big decision from the manager to realise a player is not on it or needs a break. Because at this moment in time, it seems to be that every opposition is targeting Everton’s right-back area.”
Read more about what Ball has had to say about Young’s place at Everton, here.
Everton tracking Akpom as Ajax consider allowing a mid-season transfer
Everton are keeping tabs on the situation surrounding Chuba Akpom with AFC Ajax possibly open to allowing a mid-season transfer. That is according to TEAMtalk, which reports that a clutch of Premier League clubs are monitoring the striker in view of a loan move in January.
Akpom only moved to Amsterdam last summer in an initial £10.5m, rising to £12m, transfer from Middlesbrough. But he has struggled to establish a prominent role at the Johan Cruyff Arena. So, he and Ajax are considering their options, despite scoring five goals this season.
Read more about Everton’s interest in Akpom’s transfer from Ajax, here.
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