Steve McManaman accuses Everton of 'WASTING money' on players

Steve McManaman accuses Everton of ‘WASTING money’ on players with a lack of options on bench in Liverpool defeat… as he predicts club are heading for a ‘relegation battle’ which will see boss Rafael Benitez fired

  • Everton suffered their worst home Merseyside derby defeat in 39 years 
  • Liverpool ran out 4-1 winners at Goodison Park to pile pressure on Rafa Benitez 
  • But Steve McManaman has slammed the options available to him on the bench 
  • McManaman insists the Toffees are now heading for a battle to avoid relegation 

Steve McManaman has called for someone at Everton ‘to be held accountable’ for ‘wasting money’ on players over the last few seasons following their 4-1 defeat in the Merseyside derby.

Mohamed Salah scored twice in between goals from Jordan Henderson and Diogo Jota for Liverpool as they inflicted a biggest home derby defeat on the Toffees in 39 years.

Demarai Gray did score for Everton but under-fire boss Rafael Benitez failed to find any other inspiration from his substitutes, with midfielders Anthony Gordon and Fabian Delph as well as striker Cenk Tosun all coming on in the second half.

Steve McManaman has called for someone at Everton ‘to be held accountable’ for ‘wasting money’ on players

The Toffees suffered their worst home Merseyside derby defeat in 39 years on Wednesday

The Spaniard’s options on the bench also included Alex Iwobi, Jonjoe Kenny and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, as well as youngsters Jarrad Branthwaite, 19, and Lewis Dobbin, 18.

But McManaman claims Benitez’s options prove money has been wasted at Goodison Park in recent years, and insisted the club cannot continue to rely on Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Yerry Mina, who have struggled with injuries this term. 

‘Somebody, I don’t know who it is, has spent a lot of money at Goodison,’ former Reds winger McManaman told Amazon Prime Video. ‘The new owners have come in and spent a lot of money. 

‘You cannot be relying on Dominic Calvert Lewin when things start going wrong or Yerry Mina who is a good centre defender. 

Anthony Gordon was one of the substitutes brought on but McManaman slammed their options on the bench

He insists Toffees cannot rely on Dominic Calvert-Lewin (front) and Yerry Mina (back, centre)

‘When you looked to the bench today and what they could bring on there was nothing there. So who’s wasted this money on these players? Because someone has to be held accountable for it.’

Everton – who have previously spent lavishly under Farhad Moshiri’s ownership – were restricted to spending just £1.7m in the summer as the club attempted to reduce their losses which have reportedly amounted to more than £250m in the last three financial years.

They are now struggling on the pitch too after their defeat to Jurgen Klopp’s men extended their winless run to eight games, with Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Leicester all to come before Christmas.

Everton spent £1.7m in the summer after spending lavishly previously under Farhad Moshiri

And McManaman believes the Toffees are now heading for a relegation battle, which he claims will signal the end of Benitez if it occurs as well as a January battle with Premier League bottom club Newcastle for players in next month’s transfer market.

‘They are going to be in a relegation battle,’ McManaman added. ‘What if Calvert-Lewin has a relapse or gets injured when he plays again? Because they’ll be in serious trouble then. 

‘They’re crawling towards the bottom and their run of games until Christmas is hard ‘If they go into the relegation zone, Rafa will be out. So then someone else will have to come in and they’re battling with likes of Newcastle for players.’

And McManaman believes Rafael Benitez will be sacked if they enter a relegation battle




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