The Liverpool Echo reports that during Everton’s 0-3 loss to Manchester City on Sunday, manager Sean Dyche had to override Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s wishes at halftime.
Calvert-Lewin had expressed concerns about his groin, but Dyche decided not to take any chances with the final two games of the season approaching. Although the striker was eager to continue playing, Dyche made it clear that he would not be returning to the pitch after halftime.
Given the Toffees’ two-goal deficit at halftime, the challenge of staging a comeback may have influenced Dyche’s decision-making.
Everton manager said: “I had to make a call on it because he (DCL) felt his groin. It’s a tight groin but tight groins can lead to damaged groins so I had to make a call on it, simple as that.
“It would have been a harder call if it had been 0-0 but at 2-0 I have to make a call and I said, ‘Right Dom, you’re coming off.’ He wanted to give it a go and I said, ‘No, no, no, you’ve got to come off’.”