Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
News
Andros Townsend shares what Benitez was chatting to him about on the pitch after Everton’s win last night
Andros Townsend that Rafael Benitez is constantly demanding more from his Everton players.
Wanting more
Townsend scored a magnificent goal in Everton’s 3-1 win over Burnley last night, as he cut inside and unleashed and unstoppable left-footed effort beyond Nick Pope.
At full-time Benitez was then spotted embracing Townsend and wandering along with the summer signing.
However, the winger has now revealed that Benitez wasn’t praising him, even after his wonder-goal.
“He wants it all. He doesn’t let us rest on our laurels,” Townsend said.
“Demarai has had a great start but the manager is still pushing him. Can you make more runs behind? Can you be more clinical? Can you have a reaction when you lose the ball?
“He was the same after the game. He didn’t congratulate me on the goal.
I don’t know [exactly] what he said, but I know he said something like ‘you’re too wide or you wasn’t making enough runs in behind’. That’s what he’s like, he doesn’t praise you, he’s always trying to improve you as a player and that’s what I like.”
Good recruitment
Despite his high standards, Benitez must secretly be delighted with his recruitment this summer.
It’s fair to say that the signings of Gray and Townsend didn’t cause huge amounts of excitement around Goodison Park when they first took place, but both players have already proven their worth.
Gray now has three goals for Everton already, while Townsend has added to their attacking threat.
Benitez’s side have, therefore, been able to get off to a very fast start to the campaign.
Everton have taken 10 points from their opening four matches to climb into the upper echelons of the table at this early stage.