Tony Adams thinks Carlo Ancelotti really upset two Everton players in Sunday’s game

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Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has been criticised by Optus Sport pundit Tony Adams for some of the decision he made the Toffees’ defeat at Goodison Park on Sunday.

The Blues put in a poor performance as Premier League strugglers Fulham ran out 2-0 winners on Merseyside.

Everton have now gone four league matches without a win at home, a run that threatens to derail their hopes of finishing in the European places this term.

Ancelotti went for Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate in central defence, with Yerry Mina and Michael Keane starting the game on the bench – a decision which split opinion.

Likewise, his decision to bring Seamus Coleman and Tom Davies off – two of the best players in that game – was also controversial amongst some fans.

“As a coach, you’ve just got to rip that one up and go ‘wow’. They were shocking,” Adams told Optus Sport. “All over the pitch they were second best, they lost every duel.

“It was not a team that is seventh in the table. It was a real surprise to me; I was expecting a good, solid performance to turn Fulham over, keep it nice and tight, I didn’t see any of that. I saw a shambles today.

“They have got it all wrong. Some tough games coming up for them… absolutely (it is worrying for their European hopes), everything didn’t work for them.

“He tried to rest a couple of people, but I don’t know why you rest your central defender for instance and you saw the face of Coleman when he dragged him off, you’re going into the next match and you need these players to perform – you’ve kind of killed them both.

“Knowing Michael (Keane), he’ll want to play every match. It has not worked for them, he’s put him on later on, the game has gone and you’ve lose Coleman and Keane. Every decision he (Ancelotti) made today he got wrong for me.”

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Ancelotti is a world-class coach who had Everton flying high for much of the season, but their slump in home form is worrying and some of his tactical and personnel decisions haven’t quite worked, to put it mildly.

Manchester City and Liverpool are up next for the Toffees and Ancelotti has a lot of work to do if he is to get a result against two tough opponents.