Ally McCoist slams Everton defending for Liverpool second goal in Merseyside derby
Everton have been slated by Ally McCoist for their defending in the first half of the Merseyside derby against Liverpool this evening.
The Toffees find themselves 2-1 down at halftime at Goodison Park, with Jordan Henderson and Mohamed Salah getting on the scoresheet for the Reds.
McCoist took issue with the defending for Salah’s goal in particular, as the Egyptian superstar was played through down the right hand side in plenty of space and then allowed to bear down on goal and finish past Jordan Pickford.
“That was just too easy,” McCoist said in commentary for Amazon Prime Video. “It’s a great goal from Liverpool’s point of view but it’s too easy. It’s disappointing.
“Lucas Digne’s positioning is not good. Two central defenders not good. It’s just far too easy.
“The centre-backs get caught out of position. I don’t think Lucas Digne’s position is good at all.
“That touch and the finish, I do not want to take anything away from it because it’s magnificent, but you cannot give players of that quality that room and that space or that is exactly what will happen.
“Defensively, Everton are all over the place.”
Woeful
Everton supporters had major concerns coming into the derby that it could be an embarrassing evening.
The Toffees are woefully out of form and went into tonight’s game without a win in seven matches, with the pressure growing on Rafa Benitez.
So far, the worst fears of fans have been realised. There has been a huge gulf in class between the two sides and Liverpool can probably count themselves unlucky not to be further ahead at the break.
You cannot afford to play a high line against the pace in the Reds’ attack and the Toffees have been severely punished for doing so.
To gift Salah, one of the world’s best players with 17 goals to his name this season, the amount of space that the defence – and specifically Digne – did is criminal.
In other Everton news, the Toffees could look to sell one of their star players to raise transfer funds.
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