Sam Allardyce has delivered the bombshell that Everton summer signings Wayne Rooney and Gylfi Sigurdsson cannot feature in the same team.
The Toffees manager made the surprise admission after watching his side draw 1-1 with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
“I think Rooney and Gylfi playing together are very shrewd, very clever and talented players but in actual terms of covering the ground it is difficult, it’s not their strength,” confessed Allardyce, as quoted by The Guardian.
“So I have to make a big decision on who plays this one and who plays for next one.
“For me, Gylfi has been trudging away outside on the left side, so play him in the position he wants to play and see what he can do.”
Rooney didn’t start Saturday’s game, but replaced an injured James McCarthy in the 61st minute, to see him join Sigurdsson on the pitch.
Both players were among a host of new arrivals at the Toffees, Rooney cost the club absolutely nothing with Manchester United waiving their right to a transfer fee, but did sign a huge £150,000-a-week deal, according to The Independent.
Whereas, Everton splashed the cash to sign Sigurdsson, with the BBC reporting that the midfielder cost the club £45million.
The Icelandic attacking midfielder has featured 28 times for Everton since joining them, scoring five goals.
Rooney has more goals than Sigurdsson for the Toffees this season, despite being a cheaper transfer, scoring 11 in 29 appearances.
OPINION
Sam Allardyce may have a point about these two being unable to play alongside each other, but it’s nothing to do with the amount of ground they cover. Rooney is best suited to playing just behind the strike force, and that has seen Sigurdsson be played on the left flank instead. The Icelandic midfielder is a completely different player, when played through the middle. Rooney could potentially drop deeper into the midfield, as he has the passing ability and work rate to excel there. However, Allardyce seems stubbornly set on now having the two summer signings not on the pitch together if he can help it.