McKenna: First Win Would Be a Boost But It's Not a Monkey On Our BackFriday, 18th Oct 2024 17:54

Town boss Kieran McKenna says claiming a first Premier League win of the season against Everton at Portman Road on Saturday would be a boost, but says the lack of a victory up to now isn't viewed as too much of a burden.

The Blues return to action after the season's second international break, 17th in the table, having picked up four points from their previous seven matches, from successive draws prior to the 4-1 loss at West Ham a fortnight ago.

Everton are one place and one point ahead in 16th, having won once, a 2-1 success at home to Crystal Palace three weeks ago.

Asked whether a win this weekend would provide a lift and get a monkey off everyone at the training ground's back, McKenna said: "I think it would be a boost in terms of the three points, but I don't think it's a monkey on the back at the training ground, to be honest.

"Look, we've got four points out of the fixtures that we had and we've got results in four of the games.

"If we had won one of the games, drew one of the games and got battered in the other five, we'd still have four points.

"If we had won two of the games and got battered in the other five, we'd have a couple more points, which, of course, we'd rather have the points, but would it really signify the development of the team, the journey that we're on, how we're going to finish the season? I'm not sure it would.

"So yes, getting the first win, of course, will be a boost, especially for the supporters when the club's been out of the Premier League for so long, and we know it's going to be brilliant when we do win our first game.

"But I think the seven games, the challenges that we've had with the step up and all the different things around building, a new squad, for me we've performed well in most of the games.

"There are things we can improve on, but we've got results in four of the games, which is a positive.

"On another day, we could have turned one or two of those into a win, but I don't think it would massively change our perspective of where we're at or the mood around the training ground.

"At the moment, everyone's really positive and everyone's looking forward to the games ahead."

McKenna says the international break, during which time a Blues side drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace at the Eagles' training ground, didn't give too much of an opportunity to work on things he would want to address from the defeat at West Ham with his first XI.

"I don't think it's necessarily on the pitch during the international break because most of our players haven't been here, that's the truth of it, but we've worked well with those who have been here," he said.

"As a group, the thing that we can take from the West Ham game is that I think they were the most direct team that we've played.

"I think they utilised that really well, they played up to [Michail] Antonio really well and played over our press really well, and they were more dominant than us in first and second balls, and Everton have some of the same strengths.

"They obviously play to [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin as one of their strategies pretty early in their attacks and they do it very well, and he's in good form, so there are elements like that that we know we're going to have to do well in the game.

"But other than that, again, there are big positives we've had in every game, there are certainly big positives in our home games.

"It feels a long time since the Aston Villa one, but it's up to us now, primarily myself, the staff and the players, but also the supporters have had such a fantastic part of it that hopefully they will again tomorrow in terms of creating the big big atmosphere that lifts our players and makes it a tough stadium to play in, and that's what we're going to have to try and do again tomorrow.

"It's a completely different type of opponent than Aston Villa, but one that is also very, very strong and we're looking forward to taking that challenge on."

McKenna is clear where Everton are most dangerous: "I think their front four is in really good form and you can see the variety of attacks that they have.

"They can go to Calvert-Lewin early, they can go into him into the space in behind, he's in good form.

"[Iliman] Ndiaye has started ever so well for them, and [Jack] Harrison and [Dwight] McNeil have both got a lot of quality, both can score outside the box.

"I don't think they have to do an awful lot in terms of team play to score a goal. I think they've got a good set-up that gets players in positions and they can score goals from not very much.

"And that's why they've probably gone away from home to the likes of Aston Villa and been able to score a lot of goals, and that's without talking about set plays, which are a big threat on.

"We know they're a strong team, they've got vast Premier League experience and quality on their side, but we also back ourselves at home to be a tough opponent and to impose ourselves for chunks of the game and be a threat to the opposition, and that's what we're going to have to do.

"We're going to have to respect their threats, we've prepared as well as we can in the very, very short space of time that we've had, and now we'll look forward to the game, and we'll go and try and bring our best and see where it gets us."

As will so often be the case this season, it's been some time since the Blues and Toffees have crossed paths, their most recent matches having been during Town's previous spell in the top flight more than 20 years ago.

"I think every game apart from the two teams who came up with us last year is a clean slate for us, so that's nothing new, and it's a great league," he reflected.

"The challenges are so varied. We had Aston Villa and Brighton and a certain style of opponent, and one of the great things about the Premier League is the variation, and West Ham mixed their game really well and have top individuals.

"Everton mix their game well, have top individuals and for us it means that we have to be in a position as a newly promoted team, who are coming up with a style of play that we have pride in and that we believe in, we have to find ways to be successful and impose ourselves while standing up to the different strengths of the opposition and the really high-level individual quality that pretty much every team in the league has.

"So, we go there with a blank slate and we're looking forward to the game. The boys are excited and all the fans will be excited and let's hope for a great game, and we're going to fight with everything we have to get the points."

McKenna said at his press conference that one or two players, among them Dara O'Shea, are set to undergo fitness assessments before Saturday.

Aro Muric should be in goal with O'Shea, who picked up a back issue while away with Ireland, alongside Jacob Greaves, assuming all is OK on the injury front, at centre-half.

Leif Davis will be at left-back with Ben Johnson again likely to get the nod on the right in Axel Tuanzebe's absence.

In central midfield, skipper Sam Morsy - already only one booking away from a one-match ban - is likely to be joined by Kalvin Phillips.

Ahead of them, McKenna has plenty of options. On the right, he has to pick from Wes Burns and Chiedozie Ogbene, and on the left Sammie Szmodics and Jack Clarke, with Nathan Broadhead also now vying for inclusion in the matchday squad.

Omari Hutchinson again seems likely to start in the centre behind fellow England U21 international Liam Delap.

Everton are unbeaten in their last three matches having drawn 0-0 at home to Newcastle before the break.

On their travels, they have lost two - 4-0 at Spurs and 3-2 at Aston Villa - and drawn one - 1-1 at Leicester.

Boss Sean Dyche says promoted sides such as Town can't be taken for granted and that his team showed greater solidity in their goalless draw with the Magpies.

"We're showing signs of it - and I think more so in the last game," he said at his pre-match press conference.

"And by no means were we as good as we've been in other games, and there's still work to be done in those performances.

"But we showed that resilience, keeping a clean sheet. We got a lot of the basics right to keep a good side at bay and get a result.

Everton are unbeaten in their last five Premier League matches against promoted clubs having won three and drawn two, but Dyche won't be taking the Blues lightly.

"You can't take these teams for granted," he said. "Ipswich are full of endeavour, like teams are when they come up.

"They've spent a small fortune - or a recognised fortune - in this level of football for a club who've just come up. So, they're obviously intent on being in the division.

"There are no gimmes. I've spoken to bigger managers who've done a lot more in the game than me, and they said, 'You can't take anything for granted. You just can't. You have to be right in every game'.

"They did terrific last season. And brought a lot of different players in, adding to it financially, which is not easy for clubs coming up.

"I know the guys there pretty well and I think they're good operators. They're learning as they go. The last time out was a tough one. That can happen in the Premier League.

"But from what I've seen so far, they're full of endeavour and full of belief to take it on. That's what we've got to be ready for. "

Injury-wise, left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko looks set to return from his calf problem, while club captain Seamus Coleman is training with the squad again following an ankle injury.

Central defender Jarrad Branthwaite is also closing in on a return from a thigh injury but is a little behind the Irish veteran full-back and has only had a couple of days' training. Dyche has said a decision will be made on whether the England international will be able to face the Blues.

Midfielder Iliman Ndiaye picked up an ankle knock while away with Senegal but is expected to be OK.

Scotland international right-back Nathan Patterson remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, while midfielders Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner have suffered foot and back problems.

Summer Town target Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti remain on their way back from knocks.

Historically, Everton have the edge, Town having won 15 games between the sides (14 in the league), the Toffees 25 (20) and 19 (18) having ended in draws.

Town are unbeaten in four against Saturday's visitors having won three and drawn one during their last spell in the top flight. Prior to that, the Blues had won only one in 14 in all competitions against the Merseysiders.

The teams last met at Goodison Park in February 2002 when a Matt Holland free-kick just before the break gave Town the points as the Blues put in a battling performance to hold on to a one-goal lead, taking them up to 12th in the Premier League in the process, the high point in the 2001/02 relegation campaign.

Sixto Peralta had put Town ahead in the 10th minute before further Blues loanee David Unsworth levelled with a disputed penalty.

The second half saw a fine performance from the Blues' defence with John McGreal and Mark Venus outstanding.

At Portman Road in the previous October, the sides played out a 0-0 draw with visitors' striker Kevin Campbell having the best of the game's chances. Town saw a lot of the ball but failed to create too much clear-cut themselves.

Blues forward Broadhead joined Everton aged 10 and was with them until joining Town in January 2023. The Wales international made only two sub appearances for the Toffees, one in the Premier League.

Everton's third-choice keeper Asmir Begovic, now 37, was on loan with the Blues for nearly two months in the first half of 2009/10. The Bosnian international rejoined Everton in the summer after a season at QPR.

Striker Broja came close to joining the Blues from Chelsea in the summer before an achilles issue emerged from his medical. Town tried to renegotiate the deal given the problem which at the time was expected to keep the 23-year-old out for around seven weeks, but the move broke down and the Albanian international eventually joined the Toffees on deadline day. He is yet to feature for the Merseysiders due to the injury.

The Merseysiders showed interest in Blues central defender Greaves over the summer, apparently seeing the former Hull City man as a potential replacement for reported Manchester United target Branthwaite.

Visitors skipper Coleman came very close to joining the Blues before he signed for Everton back in January 2009.

Town boss Jim Magilton had agreed a PS50,000 fee with Sligo Rovers for the right-back before Everton, in the Premier League with Town at the time in the Championship, swooped.

Saturday's referee is Michael Oliver from Northumberland, while his assistants are Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, and the fourth official Darren Bond. The VAR official is Graham Scott and his assistant is Sian Massey-Ellis.

Oliver, whose father Clive was a Football League referee, has shown 46 yellow cards and two red in nine games so far this season.

His most recent Town match was back in January 2010 when Pablo Counago famously grabbed a late, late winner moments after a Coventry leveller in a 3-2 victory over the Sky Blues at Portman Road. During that game he yellow-carded Jon Walters, Liam Rosenior and three visitors.

Prior to that, he was in charge of the 1-0 win at Reading in March 2009 when he showed yellow cards to Ben Thatcher and Owen Garvan and to no members of the Royals side.

Muric, Walton, Gray, Johnson, Davis, Townsend, O'Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves, Burgess, Phillips, Morsy (c), Taylor, Hutchinson, Chaplin, Szmodics, J Clarke, Broadhead, Burns, Ogbene, Delap, Hirst.

Photo: TWTD

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