Sean Dyche has urged his Everton players not to ‘underestimate’ Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst when the sides meet on Saturday.
Netherlands international Weghorst featured under Dyche at Burnley and he is a player the Toffees manager knows well, having signed him at the Clarets in 2022.
Weghorst is currently on loan at Old Trafford from Championship leaders Burnley and arrived in the January transfer window.
The 30-year-old has made nine Premier League appearances for United thus far but is still yet to register a top-flight goal for Erik ten Hag’s team.
Weghorst has faced a lot of criticism in recent weeks from the likes of Gary Neville, who claims the striker is not good enough for the Red Devils.
He was also slammed by fellow former United player Louis Saha before being dropped by Ten Hag for the 1-0 win over Brentford on Wednesday night.
Dyche, though, has spoken out in defence of his former player as he faced the media on Thursday.
‘He’s a very good player,’ Dyche said when quizzed about Weghorst. ‘He worked very hard, very professional, different managers look for different things.
‘I certainly wouldn’t underestimate him as a player. I think he is a very good player, that’s why we took him in at Burnley.
‘Players deserve a chance and he is a very good pro. He was when I was at Burnley with him. I hope he is not such a good pro if he plays on Saturday!’
Richard Keys, meanwhile, has ripped into Weghorst and has dubbed him ‘Nout Workhorse’.
‘They’ll never win a title with Nout Workhorse in the side,’ Keys posted on his blog.
‘Seriously – why do they play him? His supporters tell me he’s doing something right because he’s starting games. Really? What is it then?
‘And don’t tell me he’s a ‘pressing monster’ or that he ‘starts the backwards press’ – whatever that means.’
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