Garth Crooks criticises Everton’s Morgan Schneiderlin for foul on Kevin de Bruyne

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BBC pundit Garth Crooks has criticised Everton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin for a challenge on Manchester City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne on Saturday.

The Toffees lost 3-1 to the reigning champions at Goodison Park and the £24 million (BBC) midfielder collected a booking for a foul on the Belgian, which didn’t impress Crooks.

As per BBC, he said: “[De Bruyne] is so precise with his passing he is a forward’s dream. Is it any wonder that Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero feed off him like vultures?

“As for Morgan Schneiderlin, trying to take De Bruyne out with a cynical challenge was in poor taste. Punters pay to see De Bruyne because he is an artist. Trying to kick top class players out of the game is a job for hod carriers.”

TBR’s View – The law on cynical challenges is a talking point but Schneiderlin is far from the only one who makes them

There probably is a genuine talking point to be had over a law which allows players to bring down opponents with no intention to win the ball and take just a yellow card.

But that’s part of the modern holding midfielder’s remit and while the law is there, Marco Silva will be expecting the Frenchman to do that from time to time.

Singling out Schneiderlin for something everyone is doing seems bizarre, just because the foul was on an especially talented player.

City employ a tactical foul almost as much as every other team as it helps them with their intense pressing; Schneiderlin isn’t on his own at all.