Here are your Everton morning headlines for Friday, March 3.
Alex Iwobi linked with mid-season Everton transfer
Everton's Alex Iwobi has been linked with a sensational mid-season switch to Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce with reports in Turkey bizarrely claiming the Nigeria international is "unhappy" at Goodison Park.
The 26-year-old midfielder, who made the move to Merseyside from Arsenal in the summer of 2019, has been touted to join Jorge Jesus' squad on an initial loan deal until the end of the season with the Turkish transfer window open until Sunday, March 5.
Publication A Spor report Iwobi is currently "unhappy" at Goodison Park under manager Sean Dyche, who has been tasked with retaining the Blues' ever-present Premier League status after succeeding former manager Frank Lampard last month.
READ MORE: Sean Dyche has eight blunt questions to answer as Everton pay the price for chaotic policy
The former Arsenal midfielder has been one of the Blues' most consistent players despite their Premier League struggles this term and was recently reported to have opened talks over a new deal at Goodison Park after excelling in a revitalised centre-midfield role under Lampard.
However, in the fives game under Dyche so far, Iwobi has been shifted out to the right to try and help Everton end their barren run in attack. Since the appointment of the former Burnley man, the Blues have scored just two Premier League goals.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Sean Dyche has new forward to keep an eye on
Connor O'Neill has the key talking points after Everton under-21s were beaten 3-0 by PSV Eindhoven in the Premier League International Cup.
A welcome double boost
Sean Dyche has had very little to smile about over the past week. After a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Goodison Park on Saturday, the Blues were then thumped 4-0 by Arsenal.
Wednesday night’s defeat at the Emirates Stadium just further highlighted why Everton find themselves in the position they do. Dyche is facing a huge task to keep the Blues up.
Currently sitting inside the relegation zone, Everton have a huge six-pointer against Nottingham Forest at the weekend. But on Thursday night, Dyche could finally find reason to smile.
That was because both Nathan Patterson and James Garner stepped up their return from injury by playing for the club’s under-21 side against PSV Eindhoven in the Premier League International Cup.
Neither completed the full 90 minutes, but both played long enough to allow Dyche to be optimistic that they can both play a part in his side's fight against relegation. Patterson played just over an hour, while Garner managed to get 84 minutes under his belt.
Both still have a long way to go before they are back up to full fitness, but the signs were certainly promising. Patterson hit the post in the first-half with a volley before dragging a shot wide in the opening stages of the second-half. On another night the Scotland international could have easily had a brace.
Garner, on the other hand, initially struggled to get into the game in the opening 45 minutes as a result of PSV’s pressing. But to the 21-year-old’s credit, he stuck at it and got better the more the game went on. A pass to release Ishe Samuels-Smith down the left in the second-half was proof of what he can offer the club’s first-team.
A welcome boost for Dyche after a torrid few days in which he saw the good, the bad and damn right ugly of Everton.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
READ NEXT:
- Sean Dyche shares fresh Dominic Calvert-Lewin injury update as Everton recovery plan confirmed
- Amadou Onana snaps back at jeers as Sean Dyche is forced to use behind-the-scenes Everton plan
Idrissa Gueye has just handed Sean Dyche perfect chance to make preferred Everton change
- Everton next six matches after Arsenal defeat compounds relegation fears
- Sean Dyche explains Idrissa Gueye decision and demands major change
