Joleon Lescott: Merseyside derby defeat could cost Rafa Benitez Everton job
Joleon Lescott has warned Rafa Benitez he could lose his job if Everton suffer an embarrassing defeat against Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Toffees host their Merseyside neighbours later today (1 December) at Goodison Park, and having lost five of their last seven league games, the BT Sport pundit has told LiveSport the Spaniard could be let go if things do not change quickly.
Liverpool have won 4-0 in each of their last two league games, and stopping their devastating attack could be too much of a challenge for Everton.
Lescott said: “My old club Everton are enduring tough times and Rafa Benitez enters Wednesday’s Merseyside derby under massive pressure.
“Results are one part of it — and two points from seven games is a bad run by any club’s standards. But the main worry for me has been the manner of some of those defeats against sides they really should be beating.
“To see promoted teams in Watford and Brentford not only beat them but dominate large spells of those encounters is simply not acceptable for a club of Everton’s stature.
“This bad run has prompted talk about Rafa’s future and I do think a bad result — or more specifically, a bad performance — against Liverpool could spell serious trouble for him.
“On the other hand, if you were going to pick one game to turn things around then springing a surprise against your arch-rivals is as good as it gets.”
Seriously
Benitez can continue to blame injuries and lack of transfer funds in the summer for his Everton woes, but Farhad Moshiri would not hesitate to appoint a sixth manager since taking over in 2016 if things go very bad tonight.
Most of the fans never approved of the decision to replace Carlo Ancelotti with the Spaniard, and they could turn against him in full voice if Liverpool run riot on their home turf.
The former Reds boss will still be without Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Yerry Mina for the clash, and that will not do his chances of getting a result any good.
Turning things around with a draw or win will be incredible, though, and the Everton boss has proven time and time again all through his career he is capable of upsetting the odds.
Doing it against his former side will be great, and tonight could make or mar his Goodison Park career depending on how the result goes.
In other Everton news, the Toffees are plotting January loan-to-buy bid for centre-mid hailed by Jack Grealish last month.
Be sure to follow Goodison News on Facebook and Twitter for 24/7 updates on Everton and more exclusive interviews with Kevin Campbell.