Paul Merson shocked by Everton as he predicts result of Arsenal clash in first Sean Dyche match
Paul Merson is shocked that Everton have weakened during the transfer window and predicts a heavy defeat to Arsenal in Sean Dyche’s first game.
The Toffees saw deadline day pass by with nobody brought in, while Anthony Gordon was sold to Newcastle for an initial £40million, and the Sky Sports pundit in is disbelief that a relegation candidate would do that.
Dyche was finally announced on 30 January and has been tasked with rescuing this side from relegation, but Merson doesn’t think he can do it and has predicted his reign to kick off with a 3-0 home loss.
In his Sportskeeda predictions Merson said: “I think this is a different game now – it isn’t a foregone conclusion anymore. Arsenal have made some great signings. Leandro Trossard is a very good squad player who can come on and won’t weaken the team at all.
“Jorginho is a winner with bundles of experience. Two years ago, people were wondering when England was going to produce a player like that. He has slowed down, but he will help this team. He knows he won’t play every week, and that helps as well.
“Everton are in trouble, and I don’t see how Sean Dyche can turn them around. He can make them hard to beat, but they need to start winning matches. I’ve never seen a club in a relegation battle weakening its team in the transfer market – it’s shocking! I can’t believe what they’ve done.
“Arsenal need to turn up in the right frame of mind for this Premier League game. As long as their attitude is right, there’s only one winner in this match.”
Bleak
Even by the standards of Everton under Farhad Moshiri’s ownership the January window was pretty unbelievable.
Results were bad prior to the World Cup, but the owner backed Frank Lampard and planned the transfer window with the former Chelsea man, only to sack him half way through January with nobody yet signed.
To then let an important first team player leave and appoint a new manager the day before deadline day, with absolutely no reinforcements subsequently brought in, has even the long-suffering Evertonians in similar disbelief to Merson.
Lampard’s era may have collapsed and Gordon may not have been justifying his status with his performances, so seeing the pair leave isn’t necessarily a mistake in itself.
But doing both late in the transfer window to leave the squad weaker than it was at the start of the month is the sort of awful planning that simply piles up more problems for Dyche.
Given how well Arsenal are doing this season, running away with it at the top of the league, the former Burnley boss might not have been expected to get anything from this game either way, but he certainly hasn’t been properly equipped to spring an upset.
Fans will be eager to see how the new boss sets his side up and what sort of new manager bounce he can provide, but might also be going in reluctantly, fearing a hiding at Goodison Park.