Opinion: Lampard selling Everton’s £90k-per-week ace was their biggest mistake since Lukaku

Once again this season, Everton’s performance has been subpar, putting them at risk of being relegated from the Premier League as the end of the season approaches. In the previous season, Frank Lampard did a commendable job in sparking a good run towards the end, leading the team to safety by finishing four points above the relegated Burnley, winning three of their final six league matches.

However, this term, the team’s performance has been disappointing once again, leading to Lampard’s dismissal in January. He was replaced by Sean Dyche, who has managed to steer the team away from immediate danger to 15th place, with just a few points separating them from the drop zone.

As writes the FFC, the club’s season has been marred by a significant problem, which is the lack of goal threat. Despite the £15m summer signing of Neal Maupay, he has only scored one goal since arriving, which is the same for their established talisman, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has again been troubled by injuries.

Everton are currently facing the risk of being relegated from the top flight due to having the lowest number of goals scored in the division this season. The sale of Brazilian forward Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £60m has only worsened the situation. Richarlison was bought by Everton from Watford for £50m in 2018 and had scored 52 goals and provided 14 assists in 153 appearances for the club before his transfer to Spurs last summer. Former Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti had once praised Richarlison, stating that he had the potential to “fight for the Ballon d’Or.”

However, the 25-year-old has struggled since his move to north London, scoring only twice in 27 appearances and providing four assists, with no goals in the Premier League. Despite his underwhelming performance for Spurs, Richarlison boasts an impressive international record, having scored 20 goals from 42 Brazil caps. He was instrumental in helping Everton retain their Premier League status last season by scoring ten goals and providing five assists from 28 starts, including six goals in the final nine matches of the season.