Everton: ‘Financial disaster’ on the cards at Goodison Park – Jamie Carragher
Everton are facing a “financial disaster” if they lose to Leeds United in Saturday’s potentially season-defining clash, according to Jamie Carragher.
The Toffees host the Whites at Goodison Park on Saturday (17 February) with the clubs separated by one point and one place in the Premier League table.
Writing in the Telegraph ahead of the game, Carragher said, “Move over Manchester City versus Arsenal. This weekend’s relegation battle between Everton and Leeds United is as big as any Premier League fixture gets Title showdowns are all about glory. The stakes are higher for the future of two huge clubs who cannot afford to drop into the championship.
“Relegation from the top division was once viewed as a sporting calamity. Now it is regarded as a financial disaster, clubs unable to cope with the possibility of being denied the Premier League’s wealth. England’s top flight is Europe’s Super League”.
He added: “For Everton to get out of the relegation zone after the fixture list Dyche was given on his arrival will be huge.
“Whatever my criticism of how Everton are run, they ensured their new manager was in place within days of Frank Lampard leaving. That gave Dyche time to prepare a team for Arsenal, securing a valuable three points. If Leeds lose this weekend, they will regret not being similarly swift to find Marsch’s successor.”
Advantage Everton
Leeds’ failure to appoint a new manager is baffling considering the mammoth call to sack Marsch after backing him £140million worth of signings this season, as per Sky Sports.
Like with the sacking of Marcelo Bielsa, many assumed Leeds had a manager ready to parachute in and take the reins but that hasn’t happened.
Everton may not have got their first choice, or more to the point, Farhad Moshiri’s first choice, in Bielsa but they moved quickly to get Dyche once the board’s vision aligned.
We all know have devastating relegation is for any football club but with Everton’s financial situation, demotion could kickstart a terminal decline.
Carragher’s assessment is correct. Relegation would be a disaster and the decision to appoint Dyche as quickly as the club did could prove to be the first good call the board has made in years.
An Everton win on Sunday would further prove that The Toffees stole a march on their relegation rivals by appointing the former Burnley man.