Everton wasted time on Rafa flop who earned more than Branthwaite & McNeil

Everton fans will be optimistic about their side’s chances in their first Premier League game since the international break as the Toffees travel to winless Ipswich Town.

   Of course, the Tractor Boys won’t be under any pressure at home – they recently earned a promising 2-2 draw with Aston Villa at home – but Sean Dyche wants his side to go there and take advantage of a slightly low mood in Portman.  Whatever the route, Kieran McKenna’s men lost 4-1 away to West Ham United last time out.

   Conversely, the Merseysiders drew 0-0 with Newcastle United last time out, which will count as a satisfying point as Dyche hopes the likes of Dwight McNeil can shine in Suffolk this weekend to lead his side to League Two victory  early season.

   The most successful Everton this season

   McNeil is very much in the conversation when it comes to the cream of the crop at Goodison Park so far this campaign, with the Toffees grateful for their new star’s heroics against Crystal Palace last month when victory finally appeared next to their name in the league.

   The former Burnley man has four goals and two assists from nine games in all competitions, with his superb display against the Eagles, which included this sumptuous curling effort past a helpless Dean Henderson, a particular standout.

   Alongside the standout number seven, Everton defenders such as Michael Keane and James Tarkowski must take some credit for their impressive performances of late, particularly against the Magpies in their last game.

   Tarkowski would make a whopping ten clearances in the contest to regularly shut out Eddie Howe’s players, while another former Clarets member in Keane would look surprisingly comfortable with the ball at his feet, misplacing just three of his 32 passes, plus  , to show his determination in winning their aerial duels 100%.

   Both experienced leaders have enjoyed early returns to Everton’s first team, thanks to the fact that regular centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite has only been fit for one league game so far this season.

   Once Branthwaite is back to full fitness, the Toffees will find it even harder to break down the team.

   While both stars will be looking to stay in Goodison Park’s good books for a while longer, there is one former face who is now stirring up no emotion among fans having entered the building under the disastrous Rafa Benitez era on Merseyside.

   Andros Townsend’s salary at Everton

   Up front, the signing of Andros Townsend would be a huge plus, with the former Tottenham Hotspur winger coming into the ranks as a smart signing on a free transfer.

   He would go on to score an impressive seven goals in 27 games for Everton in his only healthy season at the club, ensuring that he was at least known as a temporary spark of light that fans could cling to during the troubled times of Benitez’s reign, but the end of his time  it would end up being heartbreaking with the Toffees.

   A serious cruciate ligament injury would see him miss the entire 2022/23 season, making his wages at the Toffees more visible.

   Townsend would earn an incredible amount more than both Branthwaite and McNeil even if he was on the sidelines for this damn campaign, earning a hefty £40,000-a-week salary, according to Capology.

   The star Everton full-back and former Burnley striker are both on £35,000-a-week and £25,000-a-week respectively, with Dyche counting on both figures to help secure the Merseyside side’s Premier League safety.

   Townsend – who earned around £4m in wages over two seasons at Goodison – will be aiming to see out his playing days in Turkey with new employers Antalyaspor without further injury problems arising as he curses his poor run of setbacks as he now  reminiscing about his time at the Toffees.