Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has been answering questions from fans online
Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall admits getting the earliest ever suspension for picking up five yellow cards gave him sleepless nights.
Snapped up from Chelsea for £25million last August, the midfielder has been one of the Blues’ outstanding performers during their historic debut season at Hill Dickinson Stadium, netting six goals to date – including the winner when they became the first side to defeat Manchester United in a Premier League game at Old Trafford after having a man sent off – but he also entered the record books for what was the competition’s quickest ban for cumulative bookings. Dewsbury-Hall was cautioned in five consecutive fixtures against Brighton & Hove Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa, Liverpool and West Ham United, resulting in him being handed a one-match suspension before the end of September.
The last couple – dished out by Darren England at Anfield and Sam Barrott against the Irons – were particularly controversial. The former was given for taking a free-kick ‘too quickly’ in a Merseyside Derby while the latter came for a last-minute challenge on Kyle Walker-Peters in which he won the ball.
At the time, the 27-year-old said: “Forgive me if I’m wrong, and I might be, but some of these decisions are so hard to take. Mind boggling.” Meanwhile, manager David Moyes described the booking against the Hammers that triggered the ban as “a really shabby decision.”
Reflecting on the punishment over five months on, in Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything), it was put to Dewsbury-Hall which yellow card bewildered him the most and he said: “It would have to be one of the last two. Taking a quick free-kick against Liverpool, I’m not sure there’s been many times where there’s been a booking for that in the past.
“That one bewildered me a lot. But the one that hurt probably the most was the fifth one because it was a completely fair, clean tackle in the 94th minute of the game.
“So to get a yellow for that was gutting, especially because it was in their box as well and I’d won the ball cleanly, so we may have scored, and the lad after I made the tackle said: ‘yeah, you got the ball cleanly.’
“I don’t know how many yellows I’ve got since then, it’s not something that happens a lot, so it was such a shock for me to be getting suspended so early. But, definitely one of the last two It hurt a lot, and yeah, it made me maybe have some sleepless nights.”
All six of the Nottingham-born player’s goals this term have been from inside the area – with his aforementioned match-winner against Manchester United on the line – but he agreed with a question that stated that centre-back Michael Keane, who was denied a spectacular long distance equaliser by Senne Lammens’ save in the return fixture, was the man to back when it comes to a strike from outside the box. Dewsbury-Hall said: “You know what? Michael Keane’s technique is unbelievable.
“I probably didn’t realise until I got here how clean he is at striking a ball. He’s such a good finisher, both feet as well.
“His left foot’s powerful, but his right foot, he’s got some serious technique. So, to be fair, I actually probably would say Michael Keane because he scored some great goals as well.
“I remember the one he scored against Tottenham at Goodison Park, great finish. So, I don’t disagree with that at all.”
Dewsbury-Hall, who admitted that musical theatre is his “guilty pleasure” in an interview with Everton earlier this season, revealed that 1980s music, jazz and musicals have been on his playlist of late while also lifting the lid on his favourite ‘cheat’ meal. He said: “I’ll get myself in trouble here!
“I do like a cheat meal. I’m very strict most of the time, but you have to have the odd treat.
“I do love a burger, a nice big, greasy burger, so I’d probably say either that or, very controversial, I’m partial to a McDonald's. I don’t have it a lot, but I do think it’s just a good meal.
“Sometimes you’re really craving chicken nuggets or something! It hits the spot, especially when you don’t have it a lot.
“If I had it a lot, I wouldn’t like it as much. But the odd time, nine chicken nuggets, I’m happy with that.”