'The bottle needed treatment!' - Sean Dyche takes aim at referee after bizarre Everton booking

Everton manager Sean Dyche has provided injury updates for a trio of his players while reacting sarcastically to a bizarre incident that saw one of his backroom staff in the dugout shown a yellow card.

Both Jarrad Branthwaite and Amadou Onana underwent on-the-field treatment during Everton’s 3-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers but when asked about the pair’s fitness, the Blues boss insisted “they’re alright.”

Dyche was also asked about Dele Alli, who has not featured all season but was shown in a photograph shared on social media in recent days, sat next to a pair of crutches. The 52-year-old said: “He’s just being assessed and we’re monitoring his situation and trying to progress as best we can.”

Meanwhile, Everton’s temporary goalkeeper coach Billy Mercer, who joined the club on a temporary basis in the summer after long-serving Alan Kelly underwent knee surgery, was booked when referee Tom Bramall went over to the touchline shortly after Wolves’ third goal went in.

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Dyche said: “He just threw a bottle of water at the floor. I know it’s awful that, you wouldn’t want that in the game would you?

“The third goal goes in and you throw a bottle of water, how dare he, how dare he do that? My goodness.

“The bottle needed treatment! Honestly, don’t even bother with all that… we’ve had 57 games in a week but let’s add nine minutes on and see if anyone can get injured.

“They keep changing the rules. Who knows? Someone will run over to the screen and let him know that the bottle did get thrown to the floor.”