What Sean Dyche did in the 86th minute vs Fulham proves that he does listen to the Everton fans

Everton will feel very fortunate to have come away from yesterday’s match with Fulham unscathed, somehow avoiding defeat at the eleventh hour.

It was quite clear that things weren’t working, yet inexplicably, Sean Dyche refused to remove the worst-performing players.

Goodison Park was growing restless, as they seemed doomed not only to lose, but also to lose having put in one of the worst performances in recent memory.

That was until Beto saved them with his 94th-minute header.

He posed quite the threat when he came on, yet it was his strike partner who stole the show.

Sean Dyche made a bold call vs Fulham in the 86h minute

After all, it is always bound to draw widespread joy when Michael Keane, a centre-back, actually gets the nod to play up front.

Dyche and his teammates are never shy about lauding his finishing exploits, and as a defender, his aerial presence is evident.

However, his lack of speed makes him useless unless they can bombard the opposition’s box with high balls.

Seeking to hold onto their slender lead, Fulham invited such pressure, forcing Everton’s 53-year-old manager to make the call.

In the 86th minute, having just taken Dominic Calvert-Lewin off, he chose to sacrifice the injured Dwight McNeil for Jarrad Branthwaite.

This allowed the returning superstar to slot into centre-back, freeing Keane up to play alongside Beto up top.

Everton fans have called for Keane to play at striker many times before, and this proves that Dyche does listen to their calls sometimes.

Michael Keane plays at striker for Everton once again

This is not the first time we’ve seen the former Burnley man step into this unfamiliar role, but it is one that makes sense.

After all, Keane claims he’s one of Everton’s best finishers, and his gallery of goals for the Toffees certainly helps justify his point.

Whether it be his recent emphatic left-footed effort at Ipswich Town, or his long-ranger scorcher at home to Tottenham Hotspur last year, he has scored all manner of goals in a royal blue shirt.

What’s even more ironic about the situation is that he actually performed quite well there yesterday, winning a couple of flick-ons and providing an additional threat in the box too.

Fulham’s defenders had gobbled Dominic Calvert-Lewin up all game as a lone striker, but they could not deal with the double threat of Keane and Beto.

Perhaps this might offer the Everton manager some food for thought, about whether a return to his trusty 4-4-2 could benefit this team.

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