Jamie Carragher: I’ve changed my mind on Everton relegation, would be biggest ever
Everton being relegated would be “bigger than anything before” according to Jamie Carragher, who is no longer sure they will escape.
The club are two points behind Burnley and currently in the relegation zone, and it is the resurgence of the Clarets that has made the Sky Sports pundit change his earlier belief on the relegation battle.
Carragher was criticised following the Merseyside derby last weekend for his commentary, in which he was seen as biased towards former side Liverpool, and claimed an injured Richarlison had “nothing wrong with him” and should “get up” (talkSPORT).
In his Telegraph column the ex-Liverpool defender said: “Only three English clubs – Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal – have won the league title more than Everton.
“For novelty value, a club of such repute going down after an extended period in the top flight makes it bigger than anything before.
“Until recently, I was sure Everton would escape. Bizarre as it seems looking at the league table, recent results have not been that bad. It is Burnley’s upturn that has put Everton in deeper trouble.
“Burnley’s form since sacking Sean Dyche changed my mind about Everton’s survival chances. Because of the fixture list, the odds are against them now and they are running out of time.”
Giant
It probably would be the biggest relegation in Premier League history, but it is a sign of the times that we are at the door of that now.
No club is immune from it, at least for as long as the Super League stays dead.
The Toffees have been in big trouble for weeks now, and the Burnley turn-around has shown it.
While the Toffees’ form has taken a bit of an upturn for Frank Lampard in recent weeks, it hasn’t done so on the scale of the change at Turf Moor.
But the fact remains that the club’s destiny is still in their own hands, and if they can harness the fight that was shown at Anfield, to no avail, then points really should follow.
Chelsea are arguably the ideal candidate for the next match, especially at Goodison, since the European champions’ record at Everton recently is terrible, and they are big enough for Lampard’s players to raise their game while being in shaky form themselves.
A win is doubly important with Burnley facing Watford, a game they should be able to win.
In other Everton news, a Spanish newspaper has come out in defence of Rafa Benitez by dismissing Lampard and his two January signings.
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