Surely Wednesday’s EFL Cup clash against Sunderland at Goodison Park is the ideal opportunity for Everton starlet Jonjoe Kenny.
Everton fans will be wondering how under-fire manager Ronald Koeman decided to approach their EFL Cup clash with Sunderland on Wednesday evening.
After a run of four straight defeats, with an aggregate scoreline of 12-0 no less, a bread and butter cup tie has taken on extra significance. If Koeman is under pressure now after losses to Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United, just imagine the outcry is Everton are humiliated at home to Championship opposition.
Therefore, he may just be tempted to play it safe with his team selection while all those around him rotate and refresh. However, it’s fair to say he won’t win over too many disgruntled supporters if he continues to leave 20-year-old academy graduate Jonjoe Kenny out of his plans for much longer.
The Liverpool-born right-back is one of the highest rated youngsters in Everton’s academy, starring as they won the Premier League 2 title last season. However, his excellent performances at youth level have not been enough to win the trust of Koeman, who has not given him a taste of Premier League football since May.
And this is despite the fact Seamus Coleman is still out for the foreseeable future with a broken ankle and summer signing Cuco Martina clearly does not look up to the job defensively.
Surely the chance will come
“He is on my list, of course, but I think it’s not the moment to put Kenny in,” Koeman told the Liverpool echo prior to the 4-0 thumping at Old Trafford.
“But if I don’t get enough Sunday and next week then maybe yes there comes an opportunity for the boy, because he is a talent.”
The time has surely come, however, against lower league opposition in the EFL Cup. Speculation intensified that Kenny would get his chance after he Tweeted that he was looking for a buyer to take his two tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in midweek.
Koeman will need more than magic to win over Everton supporters but starting Kenny against Sunderland would be a step in the right direction.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
