Ian Holloway critical of Everton’s Richarlison for the manner in which he defended against Wolves

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Richarlison played the full match for Everton as they were comfortably beaten by Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Ian Holloway has criticised Everton forward Richarlison for the manner in which he defended his side’s second goal during their 3-1 [BBC Sport] defeat against Wolves on Saturday at Goodison Park.

The former Premier League manager claimed that he ‘couldn’t have been listening’ during training the day before because he failed to pick up his man as Marco Silva’s side conceded another goal from a set piece situation.

With the game poised at 1-1 moments before the half-time whistle, Wolves were awarded a free-kick on the left-hand side with Raul Jimenez heading his team into the lead after he wasn’t picked up by his marker.

Holloway laid into Richarlison for the manner in which he defended that situation and for ball watching as it cost his side another goal.

“You set it out, this is your defensive starting position,” Holloway told Goals on Sunday on Sky Sports on 03/02/2019. “You would expect them to be able to read where the ball is going to move and be alive. Richarlison if you watch him, I don’t know what he’s thinking.

“On the Friday, he couldn’t have been listening. Sometimes as a manager, you have to suss out that we are letting goal in after goal from set plays. ‘I’m getting this wrong, you, stay up front you’re that quick’

It was a quick start by Wolves in the match, who opened the scoring through a Ruben Neves penalty before Everton midfielder Andre Gomes equalised after 27 minutes.

Jimenez then headed his side ahead from a dead ball situation before Leander Dendoncker made sure the three points were secure deep into the second half.

As a result of that defeat, Silva’s side drop to ninth in the Premier League table, five points behind seventh-placed Wolves and two points ahead of 12th-placed West Ham, who play Liverpool on Monday Night Football.

Over the course of the season, Richarlison has been one of his side’s potent attackers, scoring 10 goals and supplying two assists from his 22 league matches, according to transfermarkt.