da leao： Seamus Coleman refused to use Everton’s injuries as an excuse after they dropped points away to Brighton on Monday night.
da casino： Carlo Ancelotti’s side could muster only one shot on target in their goalless draw with the 15th-placed Seagulls.
Having picked up just two points from the last 12 available, they’ve slipped seven points back from the top four, albeit with a game in hand.
Ancelotti cobbles together side with Calvert-Lewin among absentees
Everton were without 10 players for their trip to the Amex Stadium, most notably top goalscorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin. With midfielders Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan, Fabian Delph, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Fabian Delph also on the injury list, Ancelotti was compelled to field six defenders in his line-up.
Coleman and Lucas Digne lined-up either side of a back three, with Mason Holgate pushed forward into defensive midfield. Alex Iwobi was left as the only established first-team player on an eight-man bench.
However, the Everton campaign told Sky Sports that he didn’t want to ‘harp on’ about the lengthy list of absentees, saying: “There’s plenty of other teams doing that.”
That prompted Jamie Carragher in the studio to speculate whether the Republic of Ireland international was aiming a veiled dig at Everton’s injury-riddled local rivals Liverpool.
Fan feed The Toffee Blues relayed his comments, and here’s how supporters reacted, with one Toffees fan acclaiming Coleman as a “leader”.
Coleman hailed for ducking Everton injury excuse
“Such a legend”
Credit: @FtblMatthew
“I love Seamus’ honesty.”
Credit: @cazzawarrington
“My captain”
Credit: @MainManMina
“Brilliant by Seamus”
Credit: @carroll3_p
“Proper Everton captain”
Credit: @alexthompson24
“Speaks some sense him”
Credit: @tomwilky93
“Nail on the head, no excuses, not good enough, need about 7 more players”
Credit: @_JP1878_
“The man gets grief, but he doesn’t pick the side nor does he choose the captaincy. 100 billion percent every game he plays and hides nowt. Coleman’s a leader, quiet or not.”
Credit: @lewismaskens_
In other news, the asking price has been set for one of Everton’s striker targets.