Jonty Banks

Tue 21 March 2023 11:10, UK

Ally McCoist believes the final round of Premier League fixtures, which sees Everton host Bournemouth and four other relegation rivals face off against each other, could be an “incredible” end to the season.

The race for Premier League survival is heating up as the teams head off for the international break, with just four points separating the bottom nine teams and Sean Dyche’s Toffees side currently sitting in 15th position.

Speaking live on talkSPORT (Tuesday 21 March, 09:53), Ray Parlour addressed the fixtures that await fans on the season’s final day, including six potentially relegation-threatened teams all facing off against each other.

“Quickly, the last game of the season, it could come down to that,” he said.

“Forest, away to Palace, Bournemouth away to Everton, which they could be in a relegation battle as well, and Leicester have got West Ham at home – they could be a brilliant last game of the season.”

McCoist replied: “Incredible.”

Nerves

If the bottom of the Premier League table remains as close as it currently is, the nerves within Goodison Park on the final day of the season will be unbearable.

The Premier League hasn’t had a relegation dogfight this close in quite a few years, so the fact that six potentially relegation-threatened teams are all facing off will make for a dramatic final day.

Fans could well be on checking their phones at other scores around the grounds, in shades of the scenes at Old Trafford when Sergio Aguero scored that famous title-deciding goal against QPR.

Hopefully, for Everton’s sake, they may have drawn far enough clear of the bottom three that they can’t be relegated on the final day of the season.

However, if ever there is a man to pull off a gritty final-day victory, it is Dyche.

The club are in safe hands right now, and hopefully, the Englishman has the prior experience with Burnley to navigate the club away from the relegation zone in the coming weeks instead of facing the prospect of a one-match playoff.