Everything that could have gone wrong for Everton on Saturday arguably did, in what was an abysmal afternoon of football that somehow ended in a draw.
Fulham were far from spectacular, but they were also quite comfortably the only team who showed up on the day, with the hosts lethargic, lazy and sloppy from the start.
Sean Dyche must have been incensed watching on from the sidelines, and when Dwight McNeil went down late in the match, his worst fears were further realised.
Sean Dyche on Dwight McNeil’s injury vs Fulham
Asked about the former Burnley winger, who he has nurtured throughout the bulk of his career, the Everton manager was coy on McNeil.
After all, it was pretty fresh, and little information was instantly known.
Seeing the 24-year-old walk straight down the tunnel after his substitution was far from the best indicator though.
Dyche did seek to offer some form of update though, but also laughed about his treatment whilst trying to make the substitution.
He noted: ‘Not yet. I’m not sure yet but he obviously had to come off and you know the delay… people were shouting at me and I’m going, ‘I’ve got to see if he’s going to carry on,’ because he’s sort of like on that edge. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious.’
It was a positive to see Jarrad Branthwaite return from injury though, who came on for McNeil.
Dwight McNeil disappointed for Everton on Saturday
Although nobody really performed that well on Saturday, McNeil was particularly poor, especially after the standards we have come to expect from his Premier League showings earlier in the season.
After all, it’s one thing for nothing to come off offensively, misplacing passes and failing to threaten the goal, but his lack of effort at times was alarming.
This culminated in that 86th-minute substitution, which actually proved to be the catalyst for their equaliser as Michael Keane performed admirably up front alongside Beto.
Before that, the attacking midfielder had only managed 45 touches of the ball all game, just three less than his goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Not completing a single key pass, and hitting the mark with just two of his six attempted crosses, it was an uncharacteristically profligate afternoon, via Sofascore.
But what’s even worse is that he would record just a sole defensive interaction all game, yet was also dribbled past once as well.
We have come to expect far more from McNeil, and hopefully his injury is not too serious so he can come back quickly to right the wrongs of Saturday’s horror show.
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