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Allardyce hits back at critics

Cape Town - Everton manager Sam Allardyce brushed off criticism of his team’s style on Monday following their 1-0 win over Newcastle United at Goodison Park.

A 51st-minute goal from Theo Walcott gave the Toffees all three points and saw them climb into eighth place in the Premier League standings.

Everton dominated the game, but Walcott's goal was their only shot on target on a night that saw fans criticise the manager following controversy surrounding a club survey in which fans were asked to rate his performance.

After the match, a bullish Allardyce alluded to the fickle nature of football fans as he told reporters that success was the only way to keep the fans on his side.

"We'll all be rubbish if we lose next week, but if we win we'll be OK. So we just have to keep winning so we don't get the criticism,” he said.

"When does every fan like the manager?"

“I'm working with a squad that I inherited and all of the staff behind the scenes are striving to make them better," he added.

"We're eighth in the league compared to fifth from bottom which tells you we're getting them better.

"We all want to do better, Everton fans demand that we finish higher and deliver more consistent results, I accept all of that, don't you think I want the same? Yes I do.

"If we all work and stick together, slowly but surely we'll get there."

Allardyce also praised his players for their discipline, and rejected suggestions that the performance had been of poor quality.

"What was wrong with our style today? We completely dominated the game, out-passed the opposition in their half," he added.

"We found it very difficult to break them down because they had all ten players behind the ball in their own half and you have to be patient. We were patient and got the winner.

"Some of our passing went astray but in fairness you can't really blame me for that can you? I don't pass the ball out there, the lads do.

"We will work to get better but overall I thought the lads did terrific again."

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