Another ruling goes against Everton, as points deduction appeal verdict closes.

Another ruling goes against Everton, as points deduction appeal verdict closes.

Everton analysis following their 2-0 loss at Premier League defending champions Manchester City.

Dixie Dean, the legendary Everton centre-forward, became football’s first number nine when he wore what would become an iconic jersey for his club against Manchester City in the 1933 FA Cup final, but Pep Guardiola, not Sean Dyche, has the closest 21st century equivalent to Goodison Park’s most prolific marksman.

The Norwegian, who now has 51 goals in 50 Premier League starts after this brace, is the type of lethal finisher who only needs one chance to punish you, but Everton, after keeping him quiet and barely allowing him a touch for the first three-quarters of the game, gave him two and he took them both. These are the benefits of leading the line for the world’s top club team.

It was in stark contrast to the scraps Dominic Calvert-Lewin had to eat for 77 minutes before making way. Everton’s current number nine is also a proven scorer at this level, becoming only the club’s fourth player to reach 50 Premier League goals, but he never looked like breaking his current drought, which has already lasted 18 games, here.

This was a very different type of strong centre-forward performance from the Yorkshireman, as he barely had a shot at goal. Ironically, as the game opened up in the final stages, Calvert-Lewin’s replacement Beto went one-on-one twice, squandering his first opportunity and then converting his second, only to have a late flag raised for offside both times.

Manchester City’s resources allowed them to make Jack Grealish the first £100 million English player – and then put him on the bench for 87 minutes of this game – but Jarrad Branthwaite’s potential means he, too, might command such a high price in the future.

Still only 21 years old, physically imposing but also two-footed and comfortable on the ball, and with the added bonus of being a home-grown player, there is no reason to believe that if City came calling for him, as they did for John Stones in 2016, Everton would not be unreasonable in demanding a nine-figure fee for his service

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