Joleon Lescott shares new Everton relegation verdict in fresh Dominic Calvert-Lewin admission
Everton and in particular Dominic Calvert-Lewin are going to have to improve if the Toffees are to avoid relegation from the Premier League, according to Joleon Lescott.
Sean Dyche’s side extended their winless run on Saturday (10 February) with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, with Erling Haaland’s second half brace the difference between the two sides.
While Lescott believes the Goodison Park atmosphere may help “galvanise” the Toffees, he thinks Calvert-Lewin’s ball retention may be frustrating his teammates after he repeatedly gave the ball away against the Premier League champions.
Speaking on TNT Sports on Saturday (10 February, 15:10) he said: “They’re going to need to win games, but looking at their fixtures, it wouldn’t necessarily be the teams that I would be looking at, it would be more where those games are.
“They’ll be identifying their home games and thinking, can the Goodison faithful get behind us and galvanise us at this stage of the season when it’s most important?
“But they’re going to have to be more efficient, Calvert-Lewin’s ball retention is going to have to improve because there are going to be games when he’s isolated and if you’re giving it away that often it just leaves frustration for your teammates that are defending in numbers.
“When you’re giving it away as a team it can be frustrating.”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin must do more in Everton relegation battle
Calvert-Lewin has been criticised by a number of pundits for his recent displays, in particular his wasteful performance against Manchester City and while the reaction may have been slightly over the top, he has to improve.
The England international’s goal drought is one thing, but the more worrying aspect of his game is his inability to hold the ball up when the Toffees lump the ball up the field towards their target man. With his frame, he has to be stronger.
Everton are coasting into a relegation battle currently and the penny has to drop sooner rather than later, otherwise they may leave it too late to avoid the drop into the Championship.
Goodison can be a fortress as it was towards the back end of the season, but Dyche’s side has to start winning games sooner rather than later. There’s no shame in losing to Manchester City, as long as the Toffees bounce back quickly.
In other Everton news, Rio Ferdinand has slammed one “reckless” Blues “bully” for his performance against Manchester City
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