Grave concern for Everton
Everton are doing all they can to protect inspirational midfielder Thomas Gravesen on the pitch but they may find the problems come off it.
The Denmark midfielder has become the key figure behind their charge to third in the Barclays Premiership and he will once again be the main man when they face Charlton at The Valley tomorrow.
But such is his importance now that coach Alan Irvine admitted the midfielder was taken off for his own protection in the fiery battle with Manchester City yesterday.
However, whether Everton can protect Gravesen from predators come Saturday - when the transfer window reopens – remains to be seen as the 28-year-old’s current deal expires in the summer and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with other clubs in the new year.
Everton still believe they can offer Gravesen European football and persuade him to extend his four-year stay on Merseyside with a new deal.
But at the moment they can do without him being sent off and banned as the race for Champions League spots hots up and that is why the club are trying to protect him.
Irvine said after the 2-1 win over Kevin Keegan’s men: “Thomas was a bit tender and upset by a tackle from Danny Mills and with us having such a small squad we couldn’t afford to lose him for the difficult holiday programme.”
Gravesen got himself booked for dissent and almost sent off for continuing the argument with referee Phil Dowd, while also getting himself involved in some increasingly heated exchanges.
Irvine said: “We saw plenty of good stuff from Thomas but just for a few minutes he lost his discipline and self-control.
“He is an exceptional player and his two passes for our goals were top quality. I think Thomas is one of the finest talents in the Premiership and we know that if we get the ball to him, things will happen.
“We didn’t want to risk him being sent off and that is why we took him off, because he is too important to us.”
Gravesen has a sore ankle after the incident with Mills and his fitness is a cause for concern for the Charlton match.
As is match-winner Marcus Bent, the victim of the Christian Negouai lunge which cost the City man a red card and left Bent hobbling with a shin problem.
Everton will need them both at The Valley if they are to improve on their seven-match unbeaten run and continue to hold off the charge from Manchester United while clinging onto the coat-tails of Chelsea and Arsenal.
Five wins in eight have lifted Charlton into eighth spot and they have only lost twice in the league at home this season.
Everton manager David Moyes has great respect for the job Alan Curbishley has done in south-east London, mirroring very much Everton’s rise.
Moyes says: “Charlton are a blueprint for how it should be done when you come up into the Premiership.
“They have stability with their manager, not chopping and changing even though there are times things have not gone as well as they’d hoped.
“That is why they have become a good club. They have a strategy, and a good manager who has been given time to get on with the job.
“Charlton are another side who have made improvements and tried to kick on. At the start that didn’t happen but you only have to look at them now and they are in among the pack. They are always a threat.
“Alan is a terrific manager and he is now getting his players into a situation he is happier with.
“It shows you a lot about the Premiership. Teams can go on runs like Charlton and Manchester City have, and they can get themselves into the top half.”
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