SHEFFIELD, England (Reuters) – Everton’s inability to kill off opponents when on top in games is costing them Premier League points, but manager Sean Dyche believes they are close to finding the right formula after Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Sheffield United.
For the third time this season Everton created more than enough chances to take all three points, but just like against Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers, they were not clinical enough in the opposition box.
They did at least score their first goals of the season through Abdoulaye Doucoure and Arnaut Danjuma, but with a single point from four games it has been a frustrating start to the campaign.
“The chance count has been getting better game by game and was decent again today. We got into some really good areas, and we keep looking a threat, but you have to score,” Dyche said.
“Today we got two goals which is important, to get that lift off and feeling for it.
“It is just the basics sometimes which are tripping us up, because I felt a lot of the performance was right again. The key pass and making the right decision, sometimes we didn’t get right.”
The prolonged injury absence of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin for much of the past two seasons has left Everton without a targetman-style striker, but new signing Beto showed signs he can do that job.
“Beto made a difference, worked so hard, as did Arni (Danjuma). There are positive signs there but we have to make sure we take care of things.
“I feel like it is one that got away, we had enough in the game to win.”
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Hugh Lawson)