‘I don’t think’: Michael Ball claims £22m Everton player was forced to stay on the pitch – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Former Everton player Michael Ball has claimed that Carlo Ancelotti was forced to keep Allan on the pitch for the entire match against Southampton.
The Toffees won back-to-back Premier League games to move two points behind fourth-placed West Ham United with a game in hand after winning 1-0 against the Saints at Goodison Park on Monday.
Allan made a return to the starting line-up after an absence of nearly three months.
Ball told the Liverpool Echo that Ancelotti didn’t want to use him for the entire match, but Allan had to stay on the pitch “because of the flow of the game.”
“In the second half, because of recent performances at home, I think there was a little bit of self-doubt,” he said.
“I don’t think Carlo will have wanted Allan to play 90 minutes, but because of the flow of the game, he had to stay on the pitch.”
The 30-year-old, who joined during the summer transfer window from Napoli for a fee of £22 million, was outstanding for the Toffees before he got injured in December.
Everton scored an early goal against the Saints but didn’t create enough opportunities in the second half. In fact, the Saints enjoyed more possession and created several clear-cut chances.
The return of Allan is a massive boost for Everton. It was a solid performance from the Brazilian, although he looked rusty and gave the ball away on numerous occasion.
Tom Davies has stepped into his shoes expertly, and the 22-year-old midfielder remains another important option for Ancelotti.
Also read – what can Everton expect from their next five Premier League games?