Sky Sports pundit Darren Bent has called for Everton to fire Marco Silva and bring Sam Allardyce back to Goodison Park to add the defensive know-how missing with the Portuguese in charge.
The manager’s job has been a problem position at Goodison Park in recent years, with Ronald Koeman sacked after 58 games in charge, Allardyce replaced by Silva after 26 matches in the dugout, and the Portuguese now under pressure after 59 games at the helm.
Silva is expected to be given Sunday’s trip to Leicester City with club chiefs keen to see the former Watford and Hull chief succeed, but concerns are growing after Saturday’s home defeat to Norwich City.
Talks were held at board level after the Canaries defeat with Silva meeting majority owner Farhad Moshiri, Chairman Bill Kenwright, Chief Executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale and Director of Football Marcel Brands to discuss his position.
Bent, though, seemingly feels the talks should have resulted in Silva’s position being terminated, as he has told talkSPORT that despite Allardyce being disliked during his time in charge, he should be brought back to steady the ship.
“For me, to move forward, Everton need to move on and freshen it up,” Bent said. “They need a manager that’s defensive-minded. They’re shipping way too many goals.
“Listen, I know they hated him [Allardyce] when he was there, but you need somebody who’s going to get results.
“It might not be the best football to watch, but if you’re conceding every single game then please tell me how you’re going to get any kind of result?”
Who would you prefer to be in charge?
Silva
Allardyce
Allardyce was appointed as the successor to Koeman on November 30, 2017 and given a contract until the summer of 2019, after the Dutchman oversaw a poor run of results which left us 18th in the Premier League table.
We would end that term eighth in the standings after winning nine of the 24 league games played under Allardyce, while holding a minus-three goal difference after conceding 30 goals to the 27 scored.
Currently, Silva’s Blues sit just above the relegation places on 14 points from 13 games, and with a minus-seven goal difference having conceded more goals than all but four of the 20 top-flight sides.
Allardyce has been out of work since being sacked by Everton after six months in charge, and recently claimed the club have gone backwards under Silva.
“Oh yeah,” Allardyce told talkSPORT. “They have already lost four games at home and Everton’s home record has always been the strength of the team.
“It needs some stability again and they need to get themselves in a reasonable position this season and see where they go from there.”