Matt Read

Fernandez downs tools. Gueye leaves the Argentine gawping Beto receives and shoots. Sanchez dissolves. Chelsea nowhere, Everton doninant.

Inspired strategy from Tuchel (and The FA) to reward those players who showed up and performed (generally brilliantly) across September and November for England... and who have had busy seasons. No issue with the two-tier system when the top tier have clearly earned it.

@joe_thomas18 A formerly unfashionable player (seen by many as being some runaround jack-of-all-trades option) who is looking more Gucci/Prada/Louis Vuitton by the month. So impressed with him this season. Also - from brief historic access - a grounded and decent human being.

@MattRead66 Really good point Matt - it’s not just that better performances have come against better teams, they’ve come when the pressure has been on him to produce. Glad Everton tied him up before the world had properly woken up to him

Brilliant to see James Garner earn first England call-up One of the best-performing CMs in the Prem this season and central to Everton's improvement Some of his best displays (wins at Villa, Man Utd) came with Tuchel watching on. Also worth remembering he's a very competent RB

Is Jude Bellingham (as I have long been suggesting) now seen as a 'more of an option' at 8 by Tuchel. The logic? Why push an excellent 8 to be a 10 (despite his form there during his opening 4 months at @realmadrid) when so many others specialise there?

An important point to note on the England squad... Jude Bellingham is now clearly classified as a midfielder. No longer lined up in direct competition with Rogers, Palmer, Eze and Foden. This decision - classification - is not done without thought. #Tuchel #WorldCup2026

If you need a DM you pick Anderson and Garner... Or move Rice back to his former home. If you want a box-to-box midfielder you look at Wharton, Bellingham and Mainoo. The players and skillets are clear and different. Although Rice and Garner have the savvy to fill both positions.

These are the players (of all who are currently fit) who stand a chance of going to the World Cup. Really pleased for James Garner who has had a hell of a season And Lewis Hall who starred for England last time he was picked. NB. No Alexander-Arnold, which does not surprise.

The lesser-spotted Merlin Rohl, and Harrison Armstrong. Interesting.

Odd decision from BBC 5Live to go to a bland Arne Slot interview instead of getting the half-time update from the remarkable story featuring Atletico and Tottenham... Which has been described with verdant colour by John Murray. This is the story tonight... And at present.

Tudor reign set to end. Gruesome stuff. Borderline bloody. #THFC

Phil Parkinson - great manager. Years of excellence with limited resources. Always moves the ball quickly on the break and frees his players to attack... and gamble. Deserves this. #Wrexham

Romeo Lavia, a player who moved to the wrong club at the wrong time. The greatest issue with modern football is the stockpiling of talent and depth of squads. It reduces opportunity, lessens confidence and kills potential.

This was a simple prediction two weeks ago - no science: Tudor will be the fastest manager to be sacked in Premier League history. You can keep your De Boers, your megamix of caretakers and Les Reid specials. He was always going to fail here. #THFC

Pickford needs to be placed in the right bracket. This should have happened four years ago! He is one of the very best keepers in the world. Above the fallen greats of Neuer, Oblak, Martinez and Allison who are having shaky moments. Only Courtois is comparable, at present.

@EvertonLeague @HLTCO Martyn was pretty special for a year. An aged Martyn. But Pickford needs to start getting the respect deserved.

@HLTCO I’ve seen an old Southall, Myhre, Gerrard, Simonsen, Wright, Martyn, Howard, Robles, Stekelenburg all keep goal for Everton. Pickford is another level above all of them. Without him Everton would have been relegated in 2022

Incredible keeper. You only need to speak to Everton fans to know how much they’ve leant on him over the years.

The number of times Jordan Pickford has pulled out a save like that, to save a David Moyes Everton (that has been 'all-out defending' a 1-goal lead) is ridiculous. An incredible save, in a season of result-saving stops. David Moyes owes his keeper so much. #NEWEVE

David Moyes' obsession with having three giants at the.back (as ref'd after defeat last week) continues with the return of Jake O'Brien (6ft 6in) at right-back, which has allowed the excellent (6ft 4in) Jarrad Branthwaite to return to CB. This Everton is pragmatic, but they lead.

@NsmUnited Being set up to defend and being set up to counter-attack are two very different things, Noah. You need width, runners and intent (beyond winning corners) to counter-attack. That wasn't the tactic.

@MattRead66 I would agree that we like to play against defensive teams - if we hadn’t dropped points against relegation-battling Wolves, Burnley, West Ham twice, Leeds and Forest - who all sat back and hit us on the counter… 🫠

United closing in on their first away clean sheet of the season as they lead 1-0 at the Hill Dickinson. Seems they enjoy facing a team that's set up to defend. Everton with... - No. 8 at 10 - Another No. 8 at LW - Centre-back at left-back - Two DMs - And a CM at right-back

@FabrizioRomano @BeanymanSports Moyes accused of 'deflecting' as Everton fans count back the number of shots Everton had... and what should have been a gift from Lammens.

🛑🧤 David Moyes: “Senne Lammens was bloody brilliant for Man United”. @BeanymanSports 🎥