Sean Dyche cannot sanction Ben Godfrey Everton exit after what happened v Fulham
Everton have now dropped into the Premier League relegation zone following their goalless draw against Fulham.
The Toffees and the Cottagers played out a 0-0 stalemate at Craven Cottage on Tuesday (30 January), with Luton Town overtaking Everton thanks to their stunning 4-0 win against Brighton on the same night.
It was certainly an evening to forget for the attackers in West London, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and then Beto failing to hit the back of the net once more.
But the visitors did put in a real shift at the back, with Jordan Pickford producing another memorable shift between the sticks.
He was, however, helped out by Ben Godfrey, in what was just the centre-back’s third Premier League appearance of the season.
The 26-year-old has largely been left out in the cold by Sean Dyche this season, leading to plenty of speculation about his future at the club.
He could certainly leave Goodison Park as soon as this month, with Atletico Madrid the latest club to show an interest in the defender [Tuttomercatoweb, 30 January].
The Spanish giants have joined Leeds United [The Sun, 28 January] and Genoa [Fabrizio Romano, 24 January] in the race for his signature.
But another clean sheet from the defender should be enough to convince Dyche that Godfrey is worth keeping at the club.
In his only other 90 minutes in the Premier League this season against Burnley, the centre-back was key as the Clarets failed to find the back of the net, with Everton winning 2-0.
Moreover, Dyche opted for three central defenders in that meeting with the Clarets and the draw with Fulham, meaning such a tactic could well be the key to the Toffees staying in the top flight.
Keeping Godfrey should, therefore, be a priority, even with the presence of Jarrad Branthwaite, James Tarkowski and Michael Keane, with injuries and suspensions certain to have an impact in the coming months.
Given their financial issues, the only possible way Everton can accept a Godfrey exit this month is if a significant bid arrives, but that seems very unlikely at this moment in time.
In other Everton news, the Toffees are “huge fans” of one Leicester City star as a late January development emerges.
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