Under-fire Everton manager Rafa Benitez said he does not have to explain every decision to fans after his move to substitute Brazilian forward Richarlison during Sunday's 3-1 Premier League defeat at Crystal Palace was met with jeers.
Benitez said he took Richarlison off to avoid risking an injury ahead of a busy run of fixtures, though the 24-year-old looked less than pleased after being replaced by Salomon Rondon in the 58th minute.
“Richarlison has a problem in his calf, we knew that at halftime,” Benitez told Sky Sports. “We were thinking about changing him but didn't ... We didn't want him to get injured with so many games and he wasn't affecting the game.
“But you can't explain that all the time. I'm disappointed people don't realise that you make the substitutions and they go well, as Rondon was a key player with the way he held the ball.”
Everton's defeat at Selhurst Park was their seventh in nine league matches and heaped more pressure on Benitez, who faced the ire of fans earlier this month after a 4-1 home defeat by Liverpool.
Conor Gallagher scored twice and James Tomkins was also on target as Crystal Palace arrested a run of three defeats.
Gallagher fired home four minutes before halftime as Palace took advantage of a defensive error and Tomkins stabbed home from a corner midway through the second half.
Rondon pulled one back for Everton with 20 minutes left before Gallagher whipped a stunning curling shot from outside the area into the top of the net to ensure the home side's win in stoppage time.
The result lifted Palace above Everton in the Premier League standings as they moved up two places to 12th.
Gallagher’s opening goal came after an errant back pass from Everton’s Demarai Gray was intercepted by Jordan Ayew, who then passed from the left into Gallagher’s path for a polished finish.
Everton’s defence allowed Will Hughes’ 62nd-minute corner to evade them and find Tomkins unmarked at the back post, where the Palace defender had ample time to recover from an initial poor first touch to stab home and double the lead.
There was a further sign of potential discord at Everton when Brazilian striker Richarlison provided a petulant response to being substituted, but it was his replacement who reduced the deficit in the 70th minute to offer the possibility of a comeback.
Rondon set up a shot for Abdoulaye Doucoure and then reacted quickest when the Frenchman’s effort was blocked, sliding home the rebound.
Five minutes later Everton went close to an equaliser when Rondon passed back for Andros Townsend, after a storming run down the right from Ben Godfrey, but the effort was blocked.
Substitute Anthony Gordon was free on goal in the 85th minute but his shot was saved by Vicente Guaita as Everton squandered another opportunity to equalise.
But Gallagher ensured the win as he took the ball from Seamus Coleman and then struck home a superb effort to underline his promise.
“This game was massive for us after losing the last three,” said Gallagher.
“The performance was brilliant and three points unreal. I felt we've been unlucky in our last games and today we just wanted to give a good performance. The feeling when that last goal went in was incredible.” — Reuters
Everton's Benitez defends decision to substitute Richarlison
Image: Reuters/John Sibley
Under-fire Everton manager Rafa Benitez said he does not have to explain every decision to fans after his move to substitute Brazilian forward Richarlison during Sunday's 3-1 Premier League defeat at Crystal Palace was met with jeers.
Benitez said he took Richarlison off to avoid risking an injury ahead of a busy run of fixtures, though the 24-year-old looked less than pleased after being replaced by Salomon Rondon in the 58th minute.
“Richarlison has a problem in his calf, we knew that at halftime,” Benitez told Sky Sports. “We were thinking about changing him but didn't ... We didn't want him to get injured with so many games and he wasn't affecting the game.
“But you can't explain that all the time. I'm disappointed people don't realise that you make the substitutions and they go well, as Rondon was a key player with the way he held the ball.”
Everton's defeat at Selhurst Park was their seventh in nine league matches and heaped more pressure on Benitez, who faced the ire of fans earlier this month after a 4-1 home defeat by Liverpool.
Conor Gallagher scored twice and James Tomkins was also on target as Crystal Palace arrested a run of three defeats.
Gallagher fired home four minutes before halftime as Palace took advantage of a defensive error and Tomkins stabbed home from a corner midway through the second half.
Rondon pulled one back for Everton with 20 minutes left before Gallagher whipped a stunning curling shot from outside the area into the top of the net to ensure the home side's win in stoppage time.
The result lifted Palace above Everton in the Premier League standings as they moved up two places to 12th.
Gallagher’s opening goal came after an errant back pass from Everton’s Demarai Gray was intercepted by Jordan Ayew, who then passed from the left into Gallagher’s path for a polished finish.
Everton’s defence allowed Will Hughes’ 62nd-minute corner to evade them and find Tomkins unmarked at the back post, where the Palace defender had ample time to recover from an initial poor first touch to stab home and double the lead.
There was a further sign of potential discord at Everton when Brazilian striker Richarlison provided a petulant response to being substituted, but it was his replacement who reduced the deficit in the 70th minute to offer the possibility of a comeback.
Rondon set up a shot for Abdoulaye Doucoure and then reacted quickest when the Frenchman’s effort was blocked, sliding home the rebound.
Five minutes later Everton went close to an equaliser when Rondon passed back for Andros Townsend, after a storming run down the right from Ben Godfrey, but the effort was blocked.
Substitute Anthony Gordon was free on goal in the 85th minute but his shot was saved by Vicente Guaita as Everton squandered another opportunity to equalise.
But Gallagher ensured the win as he took the ball from Seamus Coleman and then struck home a superb effort to underline his promise.
“This game was massive for us after losing the last three,” said Gallagher.
“The performance was brilliant and three points unreal. I felt we've been unlucky in our last games and today we just wanted to give a good performance. The feeling when that last goal went in was incredible.” — Reuters
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