Everton 0 Sheff Utd 2: Marco Silva on verge of crisis as Blades defeat throws up more questions of Toffees
MARCO SILVA said it himself: it is so easy to start a crisis at Everton. One way is to lose at home against a Sheffield United side who managed to score their first before even having an attempt on goal. Another is to add to an unwanted club record of conceding the most goals from […]
MARCO SILVA said it himself: it is so easy to start a crisis at Everton.
One way is to lose at home against a Sheffield United side who managed to score their first before even having an attempt on goal.
Another is to add to an unwanted club record of conceding the most goals from set pieces in the Prem since he arrived at Goodison.
And a third is to appear at a loss as to how to combine the club’s vivid array of attacking talent after a heavy summer spending spree.
Credit to the Portuguese coach, he managed all three in a single 90 minutes.
He appeared irritable and with a chip on his shoulder during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
Questions over his methods were a given following their disappointing 3-1 loss at Bournemouth last week.
An aggravated Silva pointed to their league position and proximity to the top four – their highly debatable aim this season – in response after five league games.
While reflections on a busy summer with £124m worth of in-comings was simply shot down with the response: ‘Well others spend money as well’.
But this is no ordinary club. This is Everton – where expectations are higher than high without heavy investment, and even more so with it.
They believe they belong at the top of English football, and trading blows with the very best in Europe.
So, when Oliver Norwood’s curling corner somehow looped over Jordan Pickford and off Yerry Mina’s shoulder into the bottom corner just before half time, expect the pitchforks to be sharpened.
And as Lys Mousset sealed the three points with 10 minutes to go in a proper smash-and-grab finish, Silva may feel the spikes nudging his backside.
What made it worse was that, for large parts of the first half, the Toffees looked to finally be playing with a confidence their squad depth should suggest.
The first half was all Everton – the opening 15 minutes saw the home side claim 68 per cent of possession as Chris Wilder’s men sat deeper than deep.
Even chairman Bill Kenwright looked relaxed in the September sunshine with his tie loosened and shirt unbuttoned as Everton’s attack began to gel.
Bernard, brought in to the side after Everton lacked real creativity against the Cherries, was on it from the off.
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He was taking advantage of the space in front of United’s much-admired overlapping back three to great effect alongside Richarlison.
His whipping, curling effort just over Dean Henderson’s crossbar minutes into the contest was a friendly warning of his ability.
The pair continued to interlink, while Lucas Digne forced Henderson into his first real save with a thunderbolt of a shot from the left.
The panning cameras soon showed Richarlison’s private box at Goodison – with his friends and families donning Brazilian flags and shirts hoping to see some more silky Samba stuff.
Instead, they witnessed a Sheffield stubbornness that quickly began to frustrate Everton’s fluid football.
George Baldock squaring up to the miniature frame of Bernard by the advertising hoards after a self-induced scuffle a clear sign of their brutal methods.
And heading towards half-time, there were no surprises that United were about to complete their sixth Prem first half without scoring a goal.
But then came their one and only chance – a corner in the 39th minute superbly hit by Norwood and poorly judged by Pickford.
Mina could do nothing about it as Wilder’s men ran towards Norwood with arms aloft and smiles wide.
Silva was not smiling. It was a 20th goal from a set-piece conceded by his Everton – and their fourth in six games this season.
VAR checked a potential body-block on Pickford to spare his blushes, but the England No.1 was hardly touched.
They headed into the break behind despite Richarlison blowing a glorious chance to score from six yards in an immediate response after Moise Kean’s clever by-line footwork.
Boos rang out, and Silva turned to his bench once again after half time.
Throwing on Alex Iwobi and Cenk Tosun showed signs of desperation.
And at one point, after also throwing Theo Walcott on for more firepower, Everton were playing with a front five.
Yet chances remained scarce and confidence looked to be dripping from them in great chunks with the fans turning in their seats.
Kean, still yet to make his mark since signing from Juventus, was brilliantly denied by Henderson with a smothering save on 56 minutes.
And that was about it for the second half, mistakes a plenty and ideas at an all-time low.
Punishment for their lacklustre display felt near, and it arrived on 79 minutes as Moussett topped off a glorious afternoon with his first for the Blades.
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On the counter, it took just one long ball from John Lundstram and a neat finish between the legs of Pickford.
With their first away top flight win since November 2006, Wilder left Goodison with his glass half full.
Everton fans dispersed well before full time to leave the ground half empty.
And for Silva, now is the time to show his crisis-management skills – as he prepares for a Man City clash that could leave him on the brink.