Andy Gray shocked by what Everton did in 2-0 loss to Manchester United, Richard Keys reacts
Andy Gray was aghast that Everton had managed 23 shots against Manchester United without scoring a goal in defeat.
The beIN Sports pundit reacted live on the broadcaster’s post-match coverage on 8 March to claim that the Toffees would have won the game if they had a front two who could score goals, with host Richard Keys agreeing that Erik ten Hag had “got out of jail”.
Everton put in a generally strong performance at Old Trafford but were wayward in front of goal and conceded two needless penalties at the back to lose 2-0, as Jordan Pickford otherwise played excellently in repelling the hosts.
Gray said: “Apart from finishing, which I know is the be-all and end-all, you can’t go to Old Trafford and have 23 shots, twenty-three! from this Everton side who can’t score goals and say, ‘from penalty box to penalty box, we didn’t get it right’.
“They did. From penalty box to penalty box there was one team in the game today, and that was Everton.”
Keys added: “If Ten Hag’s honest with himself he knows he’s got out of jail there… against a good side who are sharper at the top they lose that.”
“Totally! Totally!” agreed Gray. “If you put that Everton performance and you give Everton two front men, a front couple who can score goals, Everton win that today.”
Everton miss major Old Trafford opportunity in defeat
It is becoming the same old frustrating story for Sean Dyche that his side can produce a performance that is good enough to take something from a game but come away with nothing.
Everton haven’t now won a league game in 2024, picking up just six points along the way to leave themselves in the relegation picture despite the four points coming back from their profit and sustainability sanction.
Three goalless draws this calendar year could feasibly have been vital victories with more composure in front of goal.
The stranger issue is that they arguably do have two good strikers in Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but it was others who primarily saw all the opportunities fall their way in Manchester.
Amadou Onana should have done better in the opening minutes with a big chance he made a mess of, while the likes of Dwight McNeil, Jack Harrison and James Garner all had long-range efforts.
Abdoulaye Doucouré, so often the key source of goals for Dyche, was well short of his best on the day and Calvert-Lewin’s one obvious opportunity off the bench was a header which got directed directly at Andre Onana.
The best chance of the game actually fell to Lewis Dobbin but the youngster smashed the close-range ball back across the six yard box instead of goal-wards to sum up the situation for Dyche as more valuable points went begging.
In other Everton news, Josh Wander has been subpoenaed over an explicit photograph amid mounting legal issues.
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