Everton caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson has explained his decision to substitute striker Moise Kean after just 18 minutes against Manchester United was “nothing personal”
A Victor Lindelof’s own goal had given Everton a first-half lead but United claimed a deserved point with a 77th-minute equaliser from substitute Mason Greenwood at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ferguson substituted Kean after he was introduced in the 70th minute and replaced him with Oumar Niasse in the 88th minute. In terms of his general play, Kean had nine touches of the ball, while his replacement, Niasse, came on for the final two minutes and touched the ball four times.
Also, Kean won none of his five duels with United players, lost the ball six times and made no tackles. While Niasse won 50% of his duels and did not lose possession once while making two tackles
The £27million summer signing from Juventus has yet to score for the club this season and has also struggled to make an impact at the club. Kean’s father had earlier claimed that the striker’s transfer was a “mistake” and he wants him to return to Italy as soon as possible.
However, after removing the striker, Ferguson walked past the striker and didn’t speak or encourage Kean with the teenager heading straight down the tunnel with no apparent injury.
Shortly after the full-time whistle, reporters asked why he decided to substitute the 19-year-old, he said: “It wasn’t because of Moise Kean’s performance. I just needed to make a substitution to kill a bit of time.
“I’ve got so many strikers on the bench, I just decided to make that change.
“It was nothing against Moise Kean really.”
Speaking to journalists in the post-match news conference, Ferguson expanded a little more: “I thought he had not quite got into the pace of the game.
“We put on a guy [Oumar Niasse] that handles it better. Nothing about Moise. I’ve been there, I’ve been subbed off but we’ll pick him up, he’ll come again, he’s only 19.”
