Loads of Everton fans have been reacting on social media after the club shared that Michael Keane had been included in EA Sports’ Team of the Week.
Keane has been hailed as one of the world’s top-performing players from the weekend’s fixtures for his performance in Carlo Ancelotti’s backline during Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Ancelotti brought Keane back into the opening line-up for the Seagulls’ visit to Goodison Park, having omitted the England international from his starting XI away to Manchester City and at Liverpool in our previous two fixtures in all competitions.
Starting at home to Graham Potter’s Amex Stadium natives was Keane’s 16th inclusion in a Premier League opening line-up this season, and helped the club to return our sixth clean sheet of the term of which five have come with the £30million former Burnley man in the side.
Keane could have doubled our lead just before the break, as well as helping to deny Brighton on Saturday, but a crucial interception from Shane Duffy prevented the 27-year-old from striking his second goal of the campaign.
Manchester-born Keane also struck the crossbar with a 76th-minute header from inside the six-yard area, as Everton looked to seal the game as Ancelotti made his three substitutions.
Was Keane our top-performer vs Brighton?
Yes
No
It had been a shaky start to the match for Keane initially, but the 6 ft 2 centre-half grew into the game the more minutes he got into his legs given the limited playing time he has been awarded so far in 2020.
Keane would end the day having taken the most touches of any player for either side (88), enjoyed the most time in possession (7.2%), and recorded three interceptions, six clearances, two from two successful tackles, won his two aerial duels and found teammates with 59 of his 70 passes (84%), per WhoScored data.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to the club’s post on Twitter celebrating Keane’s inclusion in EA Sports’ latest Team of the Week…
He plays one match and ends up on team of the week, Holgate maybe deserves team of the week?
— King Penguin Lover (@P3nguin_Lov3r) January 15, 2020
How is that even possible?????????
— Dhiyau (@Dhiyau23) January 15, 2020
Lmaoooo how?!
— ShaanP♕ (@shaankhangura) January 15, 2020
For what reason 😂😂😂
— ApeMan (@aaron_post) January 15, 2020
We love to see it
— Kai_mc16 (@kai_mc16) January 15, 2020
I guess he had a good game, but Richarlison… how has he not been put into that TOTW?!?!
— Pru-Pru🐦⚽️ (@Pru_Pru_Richy) January 15, 2020
How’s that happened?
— Luke Maynard (@LMaynard94) January 15, 2020
How’s he managed that then
— Ben Harding (@benbrizzle) January 15, 2020
I’ll have some of whatever they were smoking over there when they decided that
— DJSPARKY (@140samshadow) January 15, 2020
In other Everton news, the club ‘could move’ for an in-demand £4.5m-rated midfielder this month.