'Massively Concerning' - Journo asks Dyche to explain himself after Everton loss v Southampton

Ian Croll insists Sean Dyche must take the blame for not starting Jarrad Branthwaite as Everton suffered defeat away at Southampton.

The Toffees visited St Mary’s on 2 November in the Premier League, and an 85th-minute goal from Adam Armstrong gave the hosts the three points in a 1-0 win.

Branthwaite was brought on towards the end of the game as the Blues desperately needed a goal, but Liverpool Echo journalist Croll took to his X account and raised his concerns about the manager.

“You reap what you sow in this game. Sean Dyche took a huge risk today. He made a decision not to play his best defender, therefore his best available team. A decision which has drastically backfired,” Croll wrote on X.

“He must take full responsibility & explain his reasoning. Massively concerning!”

Sean Dyche made Everton error v Southampton

Dyche was wrong not to start Branthwaite in the team, and it showed as James Tarkowski and Michael Keane struggled against the Saints.

Russel Martin’s team are one of the worst in terms of goalscoring, having found the back of the net just three times at home before the Everton fixture.

The team from Hampshire are in the relegation zone and got their first win of the league campaign against the Toffees.

While Tarkowski and Keane have been decent in the last few weeks, the two have been part of the Blues’ backline that lost the first four games of the season and let the team’s two-goal lead slip away against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, and their fragility was on display at St Mary’s.

Branthwaite has been on the sidelines for most of the season, but the minute Dyche put him into the starting lineup against Crystal Palace on 28 September, Everton got their first win of the campaign in the Premier League.

The former Burnley head coach had the chance to increase the gap between the Toffees and the relegation zone but failed.

Dyche needs to go if the Blues are again embroiled in a relegation scrap come the end of the season.

In other Everton news, Paul Merson shares thoughts on the club’s relegation prospects under the current manager.

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