Sunday’s Premier League games saw a few big results play out at the bottom end of the table. Leeds pulled four points clear of the struggling teams below them, while a win for 18th placed Watford saw them draw level on points with Everton, who lost again.
A win over Leeds a month ago aside, Everton have been struggling since Frank Lampard took over. This has been bad news for Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek, who wanted to rejuvenate his career with this loan move.
We wrote last week how Van de Beek’s loan move is failing to provide the answers United fans were looking for, and how he should have chosen the other options he had on the table.
This is not to put the blame on Van de Beek. He was tempted to Everton by hope of a new regime under Frank Lampard and a team ready to charge up the table, and instead he has joined a team who, despite a promising draw against City a fortnight ago, are beginning to enter freefal territory.
Last Monday night Van de Beek was substituted after 59 minutes with Everton 5-0 down against Tottenham, and there were big questions over whether Lampard could change up his team selection to the Dutchman’s detriment.
On the losing side again
Van de Beek kept his place for Everton’s game on Sunday against Wolves, a tricky opponent who beat Ralf Rangnick’s United at Old Trafford back in January.
Bruno Lage’s side repeated the feat with a 1-0 away win on Sunday, getting the best of an Everton side who look ill-equipped for the relegation battle they now find themselves in.
The point here is, rather than Van de Beek simply not being good enough – which may be a contributing factor – the Dutchman is being dragged down by Everton’s current struggles.
He is not the type of player to turn around a team single-handedly, at Ajax he became a valuable contributor as a cog in a well-oiled system. He can still play that type of role if the team is set up to accommodate him, and if Erik Ten Hag arrives at Manchester United, Van de Beek could be successful.
At Frank Lampard’s Everton, it’s not working out just yet. Everton fans are not seeing the best of him, and are probably wondering why their January transfer moves were not more focused on defensive players, rather than midfielders.
Van de Beek played all 90 minutes against Wolves, and is faring better than fellow January signing Dele Alli, who put in a turgid performance off the bench with just 14 touches in 35 minutes.
United loanee Van de Beek struggled to see the ball too, with 45 touches in total, and no shots and no chances created.
Van de Beek wanted this loan to transform his fortunes after barely playing for 18 months at United. It’s hard for him to do that at an Everton team beginning to enter crisis mode.
A big game awaits this midweek when Everton take on Newcastle at Goodison Park in the Premier League. There is no guarantee Van de Beek starts, but he will need to perform if he is going to catch Louis van Gaal’s eye for the upcoming international games. Getting back in the Dutch squad was one of the main aims Van de Beek had when he went on loan. Van Gaal’s decision will be an important vote cast on how he is faring so far.
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