Danny Murphy names player live on Match of the Day who can save Everton
Danny Murphy believes Armando Broja can be the man to score the goals for Everton after the 2-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.
The Blues were well-beaten by the Tricky Trees at Goodison Park on Sunday (29 December) and were fortunate to end the match with 11 men still on the pitch after James Tarkowski brought down Chris Wood while already on a yellow card.
However, former Liverpool man Murphy believes Broja can find the killer edge for the Blues in his coverage for BBC’s Match of the Day (29 December, 27m 55s), but warned the forward will need time to find his feet.
He said: “You can’t rely on clean sheets every week in the Premier League. They’ve got Broja fit now, he started today, but he needs a bit of time to find his feet.
“Hopefully, he’ll give them a few more goals, a bit more physical presence up there with [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin. That might help them a little bit, but they’ve got to do better in the final third.”
Armando Broja can be the focal point of the Everton attack
Calvert-Lewin already has one foot out of the door at Goodison Park after Sean Dyche excluded him from the starting lineup again on Sunday.
The 27-year-old has been touted to leave Everton since the beginning of the summer and, in two days’ time, will be free to decide where his future lies.
His form has not been anywhere near good enough to warrant an extended deal at Goodison Park, and the forward has also shown little desire to sign on the dotted line.
Now, all the chips rest on Broja, and with the upcoming January transfer window set to be a quiet month for the Toffees, the Albanian could find himself as the main focal point for the second half of the campaign.
The 23-year-old has spent most of his loan spell from Chelsea on the sidelines, and the supporters must remain patient as he works to get himself up to speed with Dyche’s demands.
However, he showed he is capable of leading the line in the Premier League during his spell with a poor Southampton in the 2021/22 season, when he scored eight goals across all competitions, and has all the tools to hit the ground running in 2025.
In other Everton news, Leon Osman blasts ‘sloppy’ Blues ace after Nottingham Forest loss.
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