'Suspect', 'Naughty', 'Awful' - Everton man slammed for going into 'WWE mode' vs Newcastle

Yerry Mina was in ‘WWE mode’ during Everton’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United on Tuesday night, The Liverpool Echo’s Phil Kirkbride says.

Everton fell to a 3-1 defeat against their relegation rivals after Ryan Fraser’s effort proved to be the winner, while Kieran Trippier added another for good measure.

Mina made his second successive Premier League start in a back three alongside Michael Keane and Mason Holgate.

But the Colombian lasted only 35 minutes before he was forced off with an injury.

Kirkbride tweeted in the early stages of the first half that ‘showman’ Mina was in ‘WWE mode’ for ‘bundling into the opponent’ and ‘giving the Newcastle centre forwards a few verbals’.

BT Sport’s Chris Sutton offered a similar assessment after a foul on Allan Saint-Maximin, accusing Mina of ‘wrestling’ in commentary.

He added that the 27-year-old was ‘lucky’ to escape a yellow card.

Sky Sports’ Charlotte Marsh also felt the challenge was ‘suspect’ and said even Frank Lampard would ‘know that was a bit naughty’.

On the one hand, you could praise Mina’s aggression and call it an imposing display. You might point to the fact that he won three of his five aerial battles before coming off (via SofaScore).

But on the other, he only won 25% of his ground duels (one out of four) and he could be accused of lacking composure.

Indeed, Sutton blasted him for an ‘awful’ pass which led to a Newcastle chance, and Kirkbride noted that his ‘jittery start’ to the game had in turn rattled his team-mates.

Still, his injury represents a real blow for Everton, who will already be without Ben Godfrey until March after he sustained a hamstring issue against Brentford at the weekend.

In other news, Everton are interested in this UCL defender.

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