A few Everton fans have been reacting on social media in response to reports by the Liverpool Echo, citing that Preston North End supporters are ‘up in arms’ after Chris Sutton suggested Alex Neil could be a perfect replacement for Marco Silva.
Neil has been in charge of the Championship club since July 2017 when he was appointed to the helm three months after leaving Norwich City, where he took an average of 1.44 points per game across his 108 competitive fixtures.
The 38-year-old has improved his record marginally at Deepdale with an average 1.53ppg across 118 fixtures, having taken 49 wins, 33 draws and succumbed to 36 losses with a goal difference of plus 30 after seeing 184 goals scored to 154 conceded.
Preston are currently enjoying a stellar season in the second-tier with Neil in charge, with the Lilywhites challenging for promotion into the Premier League after winning nine of their 17 league games thus far and taken 31 points, just five shy of first-placed West Bromwich Albion and three behind Leeds United.
They have also scored the joint-most goals in the Championship at this stage of the campaign with 31, and have conceded the sixth-fewest with 18 shipped.
Neil’s work in the Deepdale dugout has left a positive mark on Sutton, who told BBC 5 Live Sport: “I tell you who they should be looking at in my opinion: Alex Neil. I think he deserves an opportunity at the highest level.
“He’s taken a club like Preston with a small budget and done unbelievable things. He’s probably taken them as far as they can go, albeit they will want promotion.
“David Moyes left Preston to go to Everton and he’s [Neil] a progressive, young manager doing great things. For Everton, that could be a right good fit.
“He’s done so much, I’ve played him on numerous occasions, and they’ve always been right up for it, went about their business, done well, and on a shoestring business. If he was to go into a place like Everton and rattle the cages, he could get them going.”
Would you take Neil as Silva's successor?
No
Yes
Here are some of the messages shared in response to Sutton’s claims and the suggestion by the Echo that they annoyed the Deepdale faithful…
Everton fans are more fuming
— Kev Whitehead (@kwhitehead2019) November 25, 2019
April fools.
— stevo1878 (@stevo1878) November 26, 2019
Christ it’s getting worse
— David Roberts (@DavidRo34672893) November 25, 2019
It will never work. He isn’t ginger ????
— Laf. P (@Paul34088722) November 25, 2019
They don’t need to worry he ain’t coming anywhere near my club
— Symmzee???? UTFT ETID (@GarethSymms) November 25, 2019
— ???????????????????????????? ???????? Mick ???????? ???????????????????????????? (@BornABlue1878) November 26, 2019