Speaking on MNF, Carragher said: "A manager's job is to get the best result for his team - it has to be. This is not a selfish decision by Ferguson. However, there's no doubt, me looking at the performance of Kean, I don't think he deserved to come off"
Tuesday 17 December 2019 10:01, UK
Jamie Carragher thinks Moise Kean was ‘unfortunate’ to be substituted during Everton’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United despite only coming on 19 minutes earlier, but the former Liverpool defender has defended Duncan Ferguson’s decision.
Ferguson, who is only in interim charge at Everton, showed a ruthless side to his management style, replacing Kean on 89 minutes for Oumar Niasse at Old Trafford. There was a frosty moment on the touchline as Ferguson didn't speak to Kean after he came off with the Italian striker heading straight down the tunnel with no apparent injury.
After the game, Ferguson defended his decision to bring the 19-year-old off.
"It wasn't because of Moise Kean's performance, it was just because I needed to make a substitution to kill a bit of time," Duncan Ferguson told Sky Sports. "I've got so many strikers on the bench, I just decided to make that change. It was nothing against Moise Kean really."
Carragher defended Ferguson's right to make the decision, but, having analysed the Italy international's performance in the 19 minutes he was on the pitch on Monday Night Football, he does not think Kean deserved to be replaced.
"Ferguson has had a lot of criticism since the game about the decision with people are saying you can't do that to a player," Carragher said on MNF. "Yes, you can do it to a player.
"I played in a cup final against Manchester United where Gerard Houllier took Milan Baros off in exactly the same situation. Baros was crying at the end of the game.
"A manager's job is to get the best result for his team - it has to be," he added. "This is not a selfish decision by Ferguson.
"He's made a mistake by not embracing Kean as he's come off, but going back to the decision, you can make the decision. However, there's no doubt, me looking at the performance of Kean, I don't think he deserved to come off.
"Having heard the noise, I analysed the performance and I think he's a bit unfortunate. If you look between the 70th and 89th minute, Moise Kean does more sprints than anyone else, and more high-speed runs than anyone else.
"The point I'm making, when you come on as a sub, that's why Duncan Ferguson brought him on to provide that energy. I was impressed with him going on against Leicester, and what we've shown is the reason why he looked at times to be puffed out."
Carragher also drew comparisons with a difficult substitute appearance of his own to explain why Kean had a difficult time of things during his brief appearance at Old Trafford.
"I had an experience myself, coming on for Gary Neville in an England game in Poland," he reminisced. "I was normally playing centre-back, I came on before half-time for Gary.
"The winger went past me two or three times before half-time, and I went in thinking I was going to come off at half-time. It was the biggest relief of my life that I was allowed to go out for the second half. I'd got my second wind, I was ready to go out, and I was fine.
"But I had a massive fear, and I was a terrible sub. I started a lot of games and I'm not someone you'd normally bring someone on, unless there was an injury. I really struggled at times with that.
"You almost feel not ready for the game, you think everyone's quicker than you. I have a bit of sympathy with Moise Kean, he was bending down, blowing, that happens when he comes on."
Ferguson has had a huge impact on Everton during his time as interim boss so far, leading them to victory against Chelsea and a draw at Manchester United.
He's brought a passion to the role which everyone at Everton has bought into but Carragher thinks the Scot, on reflection, would make a different decision regarding Kean if placed in the same position again in the future.
"In the two games Ferguson has been in charge of Everton he's brought an emotion to the club and that job that everybody has bought into and everybody has loved, certainly Everton supporters," Carragher said.
"That is probably an emotional decision because he's frustrated. All he's thinking is he's got to get a result for Everton Football Club, not for himself to get the job. Everton are fighting for their lives in a relegation scrap and that's all it's about. He thinks he needs to change it right away to do something.
"I think, on reflection the day after when he analyses the game, he'll look at it and if Ferguson does get this job or is in this position next season when he's maybe not as emotional every single game, I think he may think he'd make a different decision going forward."
Kean has struggled to make an impact at Everton since joining from Juventus in a £27m transfer in the summer with his father claiming the striker's transfer was a "mistake" and he wants him to return to Italy as soon as possible.
Sunday's incident is unlikely to change those views but Wolves captain Conor Coady, who was a guest on MNF alongside Carragher, thinks the striker needs as much support as possible from the Everton dressing room.
"I think it'd be the same everywhere, not just in our dressing room," he told MNF. "I think it'd be the same with the Everton lads as well.
"It's the manager's decision but at the same time, when you get back into the dressing room after the game, you speak to him and you put your arm around him because you are all one. You all want to move forward in the right way.
"It's about speaking to him as much as possible. He's still a young boy at 19. He's come from Juventus, he's a top player. It's important that you get around him."
