Michael Ball urges Rafa Benitez to bring Lucas Digne back into the Everton defence and ‘stop being stubborn’ ahead of facing Chelsea on Thursday, via his Liverpool Echo column.
The Toffees visit Stamford Bridge seeking another bounce-back performance after losing 3-1 at Crystal Palace on Sunday. The Selhurst Park affair eliminated any high spirits created in beating Arsenal to end an eight-game Premier League winless run.
Benitez axed Digne for the Gunners’ visit to Goodison Park last week, and elected to leave the 27-year-old out against the Eagles, as well. Ben Godfrey instead played out of position in both fixtures, while the Frenchman watched the action from home.
Benitez justified leaving Digne out against Arsenal as wanting to ensure Everton ‘have the right mentality’, via the Liverpool Echo. The full-back did not have an injury or any illness.
However, the Spaniard’s decision has raised questions over his relationship with the £18m former Barcelona defender. The Liverpool Echo note the pair have a strained rapport after Benitez axed Digne, who had questioned the Blues’ style of play and his role in the tactics.
Ball urges Benitez to recall Digne to Everton defence
Questions over Digne and Benitez’s relationship were already growing before the Everton boss left him out against Arsenal. The Athletic reported last month that figures at Goodison queried the Spaniard’s defensive approach suiting the full-back, who he took off set-pieces.
Former Everton defender Ball initially accepted Benitez axing Digne if he had any concerns over his attitude. But he adds that also leaving him out at Crystal Palace was then an error.
“I agreed with the Lucas Digne call initially, but it should have only been for one game,” Ball wrote. “Teach him a lesson and then bring him back into the fold.
“We need everyone together as a team and we need our best players. Digne hasn’t been our worst performer – his form has dipped, but we need him.
“The situation should be over now. Stop being stubborn and bring him back in. He’s a French international and we have no one on our books as good as him. Benitez is showing him who is the boss, but enough is enough.”
Benitez will send a big statement to not just Digne by leaving the defender out again when Everton visit Chelsea.
Either the Spaniard feels the Frenchman has proven he is willing to fully buy into his plans, or he believes the defender – who Anthony Gordon says has ‘ridiculous’ quality – has not learned his lesson from a week on the sidelines against Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
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