Alan Shearer worries for Everton, makes admission about Youssef Chermiti signing

Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s second-half goal proved the difference at Goodison Park on Saturday [12 August] as the Toffees kicked off their Premier League campaign with defeat at Goodison Park.

Everton had 19 attempts to Fulham’s nine [WhoScored], but a mixture of poor finishing and some solid goalkeeping from Bernd Leno made for a frustrating afternoon for home fans.

New signing Youssef Chermiti was in the stands following his £15m arrival from Sporting Lisbon, but Shearer – the Premier League’s all-time top scorer with 260 goals – does not believe the teenager is the answer to Everton’s issues up top.

“Same old problem,” Shearer told Match of the Day [12 August, 1hr 2m]. “Dwight McNeil last season was their top scorer in the league with seven goals.

“They scored 34 overall – only Wolves scored less than them. They played okay today up until the final third. They created chances, but it’s exactly the same thing – they cannot put the ball in the back of the net.

“I know they’ve signed a youngster, Chermiti who is only 19, but it’s a big ask for him to come in and save them. [Neal] Maupay had a chance that should have ended in the back of the net.

“They are creating chances, which is the one good thing. They had nine shots on target, and some of those were big, big chances. I know [Dominic]

Everton

is coming back in, but you cannot rely on him because of his injury situation.”

Déjà vu

A new season for Everton, yet the same old problems. As pointed out by Sky Sports statistician Matt Cheetham on Twitter, the Toffees’ expected goals (xG) return of 2.93 against Fulham was more than any side created in a single Premier League game without scoring in the whole of 2022-23.

Maupay was tasked with leading the line in the absence of injured forward Calvert-Lewin and took the brunt of the criticism after seeing three of his shots saved by Leno.

Converting chances rather than creating them, as highlighted by Shearer, is the biggest issue for Everton. Indeed, their xG of 45.2 last season was better than five other clubs – and almost on a par with Fulham (46.2) – yet they were outscored by every team other than Wolves [FBref].

Despite the concerns of supporters, Everton have not really addressed the problem as Chermiti and Arnaut Danjuma are the only new attackers to have been brought in, and neither look likely to hit double figures for goals.

Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto has been made Everton’s top target between now and the transfer window closing on 1 September [TEAMtalk], while Paris Saint-Germain’s Hugo Ekitike is another possible option [Patrick Berger].

Assuming only one other new forward joins, it is imperative the Toffees make the right call as their long-running top-flight stay may just depend on it.

In other Everton news, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson was left in disbelief at the number of chances wasted by the Toffees in their opening-game loss to Fulham