Journalist Pete O’Rourke has backed Everton defender Michael Keane after claims that he isn’t good enough for the club.
Keane has been a main feature in the Everton side this season, making 25 Premier League appearances, whilst chipping in with two goals and two assists. Everton have been poor this season, as they find themselves just one place above the bottom three.
After the Toffees were on the receiving end of a 5-0 thrashing against Tottenham Hotspur recently, Jamie Carragher labelled the Everton defence as “Championship level”, and Keane was part of the backline that day.
O’Rourke spoke to GiveMeSport and labelled the comments from Carragher as harsh after everything he has achieved in the game.
He said: “I think it’s a bit harsh to say, ‘they’re not good enough’. I think Michael Keane has shown previously that he is a top player. He’s been in England squads, he’s been outstanding in a number of Everton games. You defend as a team and you attack as a team, so it’s probably a bit harsh to point the finger just at the defenders, but for Everton, it’s been a real issue of conceding too many goals.”
TIF Thoughts on Pete O’Rourke’s comments…
Keane has been part of a poor Everton side this season, but on a personal level, he has a mixed campaign in terms of stats. He has been named in SofaScore’s Team of the Week four times this term, has an average of 3.9 clearances per game, but has also made two errors that have led to goals.
He has been part of a defence that has conceded 47 goals – only four sides have conceded more than them this term.
Carragher’s comments certainly seem harsh considering Keane is an experienced professional who has made over 30 appearances in his last five seasons in the Premier League at Burnley and Everton.