Everton manager Sean Dyche really trusts Michael Keane, journalist Paul Brown has told GIVEMESPORT.
The central defender barely featured under Frank Lampard but has been handed minutes in recent games.
Everton news — Michael Keane
As per Transfermarkt, Keane only made his first Premier League start of this season at the start of March, which came in the 4-0 defeat at Arsenal.
Dyche’s decision to start him that day was one that left Everton legend Leon Osman puzzled.
“I thought Everton had a pretty settled team, certainly the back four under Sean Dyche — struggling to make changes at the top of the field but having options at the back,” the former Toffees midfielder told Premier League Productions (via HITC).
“For a player to come in, who hasn’t played in so long, despite knowing him from his time at Burnley… very surprised.”
What has Paul Brown said about Michael Keane and Everton?
Brown thinks Keane has been brought in for his aerial prowess and because Dyche trusts him.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: “I’m not really surprised that Dyche has given Keane a go. Whether that will last for long, I don’t know because I still think that [Conor] Coady and [James] Tarkowski are probably the best partnership that Everton have. But Keane’s worked with Dyche before and Dyche trusts him and knows him really well.
“He knows what to do for that manager in certain situations and I think you can’t underestimate how good he is in the air as well. The increased threat he gives them at corners and things is probably one of the reasons why he came back in the team, so that might continue. We’ll see.”
What is Michael Keane’s biggest strength?
As Brown highlighted, what Keane brings to the table is the ability to win the ball in the air.
The 30-year-old has ranked in the 99th percentile for aerials won among central defenders over the last year (via FBref).
According to WhoScored, Keane also won three aerial duels per game last season, which was the second-highest average in Everton’s squad.
Still, the former Burnley man, who’s earning £80,000 a week at Goodison Park, according to Spotrac, isn’t going to find securing a regular place in Everton’s starting XI easy. As well as Cody and Tarkowski, he also has to compete against the likes of Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina for a spot, so there is a lot of competition.
