Micah Richards disagrees with Jamie Carragher’s ‘strong’ verdict against Everton defenders

Jamie Carragher may have been in the back line of Everton but Micah Richards has indicated he wouldn’t go as far as to say they are the standard of the championship.

In the first half that beat Everton 5-0 at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur last week, Carragher revealed his feelings about Everton’s backline.

Carragher considers Everton’s backline to be the standard of the championship, choosing Seamus Coleman for specific criticism.

The four people behind that night were Jonjoe Kenny, Michael Keane, Mason Holgate and Coleman; None of them can go up against Tottenham.

Kenny was sent off against Wolves on Sunday, while Everton suffered yet another defeat, bringing them closer and closer to relegation.

Dropping to the Championship – where Everton’s backline belongs to Carragher – would be an absolute disaster for the Toffees.

Frank Lampard faces a real battle in his bid to keep Everton in the Premier League, with the squad in need of a complete overhaul.

Amid such strong criticism, pundit Richards has now delivered his verdict on the Everton defence – and doesn’t quite agree with Carragher.

Talk to BBC Radio Five Live’s Monday Night ClubRichards hinted that he would not issue such strong criticism in the Everton backline like Carragher and many others.

Richards believes there are some good players on the Everton side, but they have not found a rhythm or a consistent system.

Many coaches have cut back and changed at the back, shifting Everton from a four-man defense to a five or three, with Richards believing the Toffees need a certain amount of consistency.

Richards said: “I know people have said that Everton’s backline is ‘the defense of the championship’, I wouldn’t go that strong. “I think there are some good players there, I don’t know if they’ve found the right rhythm and if they should play four in the back, five in the back or a three,” he added.

Will Lampard now find answers to Everton’s defensive problems, or we could see the Toffees play in the Championship next season and let Carragher be somewhat vindicated in his verdict .

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