Everton vs Brentford late drama stuns Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison, David Raya criticism branded harsh by Jeff Stelling
Clinton Morrison was branded “harsh” by Jeff Stelling after the stunned pundit criticised David Raya in a dramatic finish to Everton vs Brentford.
In the 93rd-minute of the Toffees vital 1-0 win at Goodison Park on Saturday (11 March), with the home side having defended their one-goal lead for over 90-minutes following Dwight McNeil’s stunning first-minute opener, the visiting keeper came up for a late corner.
Incredibly, the Spanish international was found unmarked in the middle of the Everton box to hand him a guilt-edged chance to level at the death, but his header was mistimed and went harmlessly wide to preserve Sean Dyche’s third home win and leave Morrison blasting the wasted chance.
During the late crescendo Morrison reacted live on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (11 March, 4.54pm), shouting: “Raya! Free header! Oh my word, he’s got to score Jeff. Raya, seven yards out and his misses the target.”
“It’s a bit harsh to say he’s got to score. He’s a goalkeeper. He’s a goalkeeper,” replied Stelling.
“No, he has to score! Every goalkeeper thinks they can score,” Morrison fired back, before referring to former Wolves keeper and fellow Sky Sports pundit to laughter from the panel, “Matt Murray’s the same.”
Begging
It would have been fittingly Everton for a goalkeeper to find a way to steal away a crucial victory at the last, but thankfully for the Goodison crowd Raya couldn’t take his chance.
He won’t have been used to being in that position, and virtually any other outfield player would have been backed to bury it from there.
The overload created by a goalkeeper going up for a corner by definition leaves one man unmarked, and in this case Everton will have been thankful to see a dramatic, late chance go to possibly the only player who might miss it.
The Toffees not only ended Brentford’s unbeaten run in the Premier League that stretched back to 23 October, but jumped out of the relegation zone to 15th with all three points.
Pressure is still on in a big way with all the teams below having played fewer matches, but points on the board are worth more than games in hand at this stage.
If Dyche can see visitors to Goodison reduced to relying on late chances falling to their goalkeepers then he will be pretty happy with how things have gone.
But a two-goal cushion or better would be a nice luxury every once in a while, which Demarai Gray’s disallowed goal almost provided, and would save the final minutes from being so uncomfortable.