Everton head to Manchester United on Saturday lunchtime looking to end their winless Premier League run.
It’s abundantly obvious where the Toffees’ issues lie, with their failure to hit the back of the net severely impacting their aspirations.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto have found goals extremely hard to come by this season, which has led to calls for Sean Dyche to delve into Everton’s youth to solve his goalscoring conundrum.
However, the Everton boss has delivered an honest verdict on whether anyone can step up from the academy.
Sean Dyche drops honest Everton answer
One player who has caught the eye this season is Francis Okoronkwo, scoring five goals for the under-21s. The 19-year-old was referred to as “very promising” by Kevin Thelwell after he penned a new deal in November.
Yet despite his excellent form, Dyche insists no players are ready to step up to the first XI.
Talking to the Liverpool Echo, he said: “No, because if they were, they would be playing. That is a really simple equation. If there was an 18-year-old here who I thought was good enough to play in the first team, he would be playing.
“There is no one I have seen so far who is ready to jump in there. That is it at the moment. Dobbo is doing a good job, learning as he goes.
“It is slightly different with Jarrad because he was brought in later [Branthwaite signed for Everton at the age of 18] but still at a young age. But there is no one I have looked at and thought: ‘You are ready to jump in.'”
A club the stature of Everton should have to look to the academy to solve their attacking issues. The likes of Beto need to show more composure in front of goal. Bringing a youngster into the first-team environment can go one or two ways, and it’s probably a risk Dyche is unwilling to take at present.
It’s up to Everton’s more senior pros to right the current wrongs at Goodison Park.
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