Everton

Everton

Premier League • England

Damning verdict on Benitez and ‘it will only get worse,’ says former Everton man

Rafael Benitez Everton December 2021

Victor Anichebe says Rafa Benitez is not the right fit for Everton and believes “it’s only going to get worse” at Goodison Park.

Everton were brushed aside by derby rivals Liverpool on Wednesday night as the gulf in class was laid bare. Goals from Jordan Henderson, Mo Salah (2) and Diogo Jota condemned to Benitez’s side to a 4-1 defeat. Demarai Gray had reduced the half-time deficit to just 2-1, but Everton did not threaten Alisson’s goal after the restart.

It was their sixth defeat in seven Premier League games and they remain winless since September.

Their poor form has led to questions surrounding the future of Benitez, who was appointed in the summer on a three-year contract.

A report earlier this week even suggested Benitez had just one game – against Liverpool – to save his job.

That appears wide of the mark with Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri insisting Benitez deserves more time.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he feels Everton’s slide down the table is due to the number of injuries at the club.

“Football is about crisis one day and glory the following day. Rafa is a good manager and underperformance is largely due to the injuries,” Moshiri said.

“(Over the) next two weeks, we will get to a full squad and, in the meantime, results will improve.

“Rafa needs time to have his mark on the squad. He will be supported to add depth to the squad. Managers need time. I have no doubt that we will have a strong second half to the season.”

But Anichebe, 33, who played 168 times for the club, believes Benitez is on the road to nowhere.

Anichebe: Fans will never take to him

“There is no doubt that Benitez is a good manager, he’s a top manager, but he’s not the right appointment for Everton,” Anichebe told Sky Sports. 

“It’s a simple as that. The fans will never take to him. They will never ever take to him and I do not know where they are going to go from here.

“Yes they have missed Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Andre Gomes. But they are still not going to take to him even if they get some good results.

“If you talk about culture there is nothing there. The fans don’t seem to be supporting the manager at all. It’s only going to get worse and the atmosphere yesterday was the worst I’ve seen it.”

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