UK Edition
Sam Allardyce prepared to face big guns after Everton suffer first defeat of his reign
There is no let-up for Everton and no respite for Sam Allardyce after his first defeat since taking over at Goodison Park in November.
Tomorrow they face Manchester United, on Friday they take on Liverpool in the FA Cup and then, completing the hat-trick of formidable fixtures, they then travel to Wembley to meet Tottenham Hotspur.
After a run of seven games without losing, it is not inconceivable that they may not win again until we are deep into January. That is the reality with which Allardyce has now been confronted after his side produced such a purposeless performance against an energetic Bournemouth, who should have won by a far greater margin than one late goal.
“If you are going to be successful in the Premier League you have got to beat the teams below you, and you certainly don’t lose to them” said Allardyce, whose side did at least manage to score a goal, through midfielder Idrissa Gueye.
“We’ve gone and lost against Bournemouth, which puts on more pressure to make it up somewhere and it may have to be against a bigger club. We have to pick ourselves up and look forward to Man United and Liverpool.”
Everton will, however, take encouragement from the return of Wayne Rooney ahead of tomorrow evening’s meeting with United. Having missed two games through illness, Rooney was introduced at half-time on Saturday, and will surely start against his former club.
“It’s only a virus and not an injury,” said Allardyce. “Getting 45 minutes will be good for him.”
It is less clear, though, whether James McCarthy, who struggled on his first league appearance of the season, and Yannick Bolasie, who featured in the last 20 minutes, will be available from the start after overcoming injury.
“I’m juggling McCarthy and Yannick not being match fit,” said Allardyce. “They will certainly have to play better against United than they did today.”
As is the way in this flurry of festive fixtures, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe also has injury problems to navigate ahead of their trip to Brighton. Striker Josh King limped off with a hamstring injury, while defenders Adam Smith and Nathan Ake were suffering from knocks by the time winger Ryan Fraser had scored his second of the game to give Bournemouth a late victory.
King’s hamstring problem follows an ankle injury that has ruled fellow striker Jermain Defoe out for two months, and Howe conceded that he may have to enter the transfer market to find attacking cover.
“It’s difficult,” Howe said. “We’ve lost Jermain and we’ve now lost Josh. It certainly leaves us stretched and it’s not ideal. Our immediate thought is to get the best out of what we have and not look to the transfer market.”
Bournemouth’s victory moved them clear of the relegation zone and ended a run of eight league games without a win. “I felt physically we were in good nick,” Howe said. “We ran and did everything that I wanted us to do. I’m not sure it will be the same for Brighton, if I’m honest.”