Sean Dyche must end his failed Everton experiment after £15m star struggled vs Newcastle United

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It was a hard-fought point that Everton won last night, where they were bailed out on more than one occasion by their goalkeeper.

Newcastle United, though, will also have been quite happy to settle for the 0-0 result acquired, seeing a few key decisions go their way too.

Naturally, the penalty shouts for Dan Burn’s challenge on Dominic Calvert-Lewin mark the outstanding example, but the Magpies were also aided by the underperformance of one of the Toffees’ top players this campaign.

His quiet showing might get lost in all the drama, especially after Seamus Coleman confronted Craig Pawson at full-time, but perhaps last night should mark the end of Sean Dyche’s Dwight McNeil experiment.

Dwight McNeil has shone in the number ten role this season

Normally, when a new season starts, managers are blessed with a completely clean bill of health, thus allowing them to play their strongest side for at least a few weeks.

For the Everton manager though, this has not been the case.

He kickstarted the campaign missing so many key men, and even now, six matches in, remains in that unfortunate position.

Forced into numerous tactical and personnel decisions, one outstanding choice has been to move McNeil into the number ten role.

Initially signed as a winger, the £15m acquisition has impressed in flashes, but lacked the consistency across a full term.

Already this season though, he boasts three goals and two assists from just seven matches, and is also averaging 3.3 key passes per game too, via Sofascore.

The 24-year-old has been their standout player, but last night brutally exhibited how this cannot remain his long-term position.

Sean Dyche must now end this Everton experiment

After all, the tactical downside of moving him into midfield were laid bare against the Magpies, who dominated the midfield.

They were always expected to, given the physical and technical excellence of their starting trio, but it did not help that McNeil struggled to make his mark throughout.

So much of the success earned last campaign came through Dyche’s out-of-possession system, which frustrated every Premier League team that they faced.

That simply does not work with the McNeil in the middle, with his ball retention simply not good enough in key moments.

Yes, he has scored a few fine goals lately, and remains their chief creator, but defensively they are not nearly as solid as they once were, and it’s a testament to his poor showing that even Jordan Pickford managed more touches than him during last night’s match.

Dyche, whilst he deserves credit for filling this gap to some success, should now consider ending this experiment after the international break and trying to recapture that solidity for which they were so famed for last season.