Marco Silva has defended under-fire winger Theo Walcott but the Everton manager warned that Ademola Lookman is hot on his heels.
Walcott came in for a verbal volley from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for not tracking back before Manchester United’s second goal in last week’s defeat, with stand-in captain Seamus Coleman also joining the conversation.
Silva denied the pair had a go at the former England international, but the manager suggested that Lookman is knocking on the door for a first Premier League start of the season.
“For sure Jordan and Coleman they didn’t do that,” said the Toffees boss ahead of the visit of Brighton. “In a moment Jordan can be commanding but they are team-mates, they are a team.
“Of course it is what I want, everyone speaking to help each other, sometimes to command to improve some position or some behaviour, never to criticise.
“When you do the good things you do it all together as a team and when you don’t do it, it will be the same.
“We should do better in that game but that is football. I don’t have anything to say about our players. I’ve seen the commitment to our work.”
After a slow start to the campaign Lookman is getting up to speed again and could be a threat off either flank.
“He is pushing, pushing not just Theo but Theo and Bernard because of the way he is working now but it is the same thing I want in other positions as well,” added Silva.
The Everton manager looks like continuing his plan to play winger Richarlison as a central striker, even though he accepts the Brazil international has work to do.
“Some things to improve, that is normal,” he said. “It’s not a new position to him but something he didn’t do often in the last two seasons. He is now doing it more often.
“He can give important things for us, different to Cenk (Tosun) and Dominic (Calvert-Lewin). He is doing well, his attitude and behaviour is an example to everyone.”
Silva will resist the temptation to give summer signing Yerry Mina his debut this weekend, even though he knows on-loan centre-back Kurt Zouma will not be available against parent club Chelsea next weekend.
“Mina is ready to play. I know how he is working but in our minds we have to stay on one game, the Brighton game nothing more,” he added.
“We don’t think about Chelsea. All our ambition is tomorrow’s match.
“We have a friendly match next week (against Kenyan side Gor Mahia on Tuesday) and it could be a good solution.”
Silva will be without defenders Phil Jagielka and Jonjoe Kenny this weekend due to minor injuries but the pair will return to training next week.