Ross Barkley key for Everton against Sunderland, says Danny Higginbotham
Monday 12 September 2016 23:53, UK
In the first of a new series for SkySports.com, tactical expert Danny Higginbotham explains how Ross Barkley could hold the key for Everton against Sunderland on Monday Night Football.
Despite his recent omission from Sam Allardyce's England squad, Ross Barkley has started brightly under Ronald Koeman, scoring in Everton's 1-1 draw with Tottenham on the opening day and claiming an assist in their 2-1 win at West Brom.
His encouraging performances come after he scored eight goals and added eight assists in 38 Premier League appearances last season, and they have helped the Merseysiders climb to fourth in the table in the new campaign.
Everton head to the Stadium of Light eyeing their third win in four games, and Higginbotham believes Romelu Lukaku will need to stretch Sunderland's defence to allow Barkley to weave his magic behind the striker.
"He's been left out of the recent England squad but I think we saw last season that away from home was when he had most of his joy, linking up really well Romelu Lukaku," Higginbotham tells Sky Sports.
"At home, what would happen too many times is that, because there were trying to play out from the back quite often, everybody was dropping deep, including Lukaku. As Lukaku wasn't getting so much joy, he would drop deeper and deeper and deeper, so there was no real out-ball for Barkley."
Lukaku has only played 142 minutes of Everton's first three Premier League games having picked up a heel injury in pre-season, but Higginbotham has already noticed changes in how he has been used by Koeman, who succeeded Roberto Martinez during the summer.
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"What we have seen this season is that Lukaku has been asked to stretch the game," says Higginbotham. "When you have a player like Lukaku who is prepared to stretch the game, which is his strength in my opinion, then the likes of Barkley, Mirallas and Bolasie are going to get more space and time on the ball, there's no doubt about that."
Opta stats show that only three Premier League sides have created more scoring chances than Everton so far this season, and Higginbotham believes they can cause Sunderland problems on the break - especially if Lukaku can create the necessary openings for Barkley.
"Away from home, Everton are a fantastic counter-attacking team," he says, using their 3-0 win at Southampton last August as an example. "Lukaku scored two goals in that game and Barkley was the main benefactor in terms of setting him up and giving him opportunities," he says.
"The more space and time that he has to dictate play on the ball, the better, so if Lukaku stretches the game, he drives the opposition back four back, and their midfield have a real issue.
"Do they drop with the back four? Because if they drop, Barkley is going to have more space. If they come up, then what you'll find is that with Barkley playing that little bit deeper, there will be a huge space for him to run into. That, in my opinion, is how to get the best out of Ross Barkley. He needs time and space on the ball."
As well as Lukaku, Higginbotham says wingers Kevin Mirallas and Yannick Bolasie will have an important role to play. "Mirallas at times will go a little bit wider, Bolasie will do the same, and Lukaku will stretch it," he says.
The more that Lukaku can play on the shoulder of the defenders, the more time and space Barkley's going to get to dictate the game.
"What you find then is that Barkley, instead of having two or three seconds on the ball, is having five or six seconds on the ball. That, for a player of his quality, is the difference between setting up an opportunity and the ball not going to him at all.
"For me, Everton under Koeman are a fantastic counter-attacking team, especially away from home. The more that Lukaku can play on the shoulder of the defenders, the more time and space Barkley's going to get to dictate the game."
Watch the video at the top of the page for Danny Higginbotham's video analysis and tune in to Sunderland v Everton live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7pm on Monday Night Football. Or watch for £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV.
