Graeme Souness has hit out at Everton boss Rafael Benitez for his tactical set-up during the Toffees 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Palace went 2-0 up thanks to strikes from Conor Gallagher and James Tomkins, Blues substitute Salomon Rondon reduced the arrears shortly after replacing Richarlison.
However, Gallagher went on to seal all three points for the Eagles in injury time.
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Benitez's decision to withdraw Richarlison whilst the visitors were 1-0 down was booed by sections of the away support and the Brazilian forward didn’t hide his frustration at being taken off, petulantly gesturing as he left the field of play.
Souness questioned Everton’s game plan at Selhurst Park in the wake of Monday’s 2-1 win over Arsenal, which was their first Premier League win in nine games.
“I’m mystified,” he told Sky Sports during the post match analysis of Palace's win over the Toffees.
“The mood after Monday night’s game in Everton’s dressing room would have been buoyant. But in that first 45 minutes, maybe an hour, they were so negative and so passive.
“I’m not sure how you prepare a team, having had the high of doing so well against Arsenal, by saying to them: ‘the way we’re going to play against Crystal Palace, who have lost three games and have got no confidence, is we’re going to be negative, we’re going to have Delph sitting in front of the back four and we’re going to try to nick the game’.
“I think that’s a hard sell for a manager to a player. I’d be questioning it if I was player. They were a shadow of a team in the first half.”
The defeat leaves the Toffees 16th in the Premier League, next up they face a trip to Chelsea on Thursday evening.
