Everton: Gary Neville in disbelief as Everton face financial pain amid stunning Bournemouth developments
Gary Neville fears Everton are in line to “hurt badly” if relegated after a stunning turnaround in form from Bournemouth under Gary O’Neil.
The pundit has had to change his relegation prediction in light of the Cherries’ recent revival – nine points from 12 this month – thanks to their manager’s “unbelievable” job, which has dragged the Toffees back into the mire alongside rivals Leeds and Leicester.
Neville believes O’Neil now has Bournemouth in line to stay up, a feat which will make the 39-year-old his “manager of the season”, but has left Everton facing an extremely damaging potential drop into the Championship.
Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast for Sky Sports on Sunday (16 April, 30m 45s) he said of Bournemouth: “What they’ve done in the last couple of weeks is sensational, and to get the winner like they did yesterday [against Tottenham], I mean now they’ll be difficult to stop.
“You start to really worry now about your Leicesters and Evertons. I think [Nottingham] Forest are going to struggle with Southampton still. I had Forest, Southampton and Bournemouth as being my three a few weeks ago.
“I think that to be fair Bournemouth now will pull out of that unless something completely about-turns. And I think you’re now starting to look at Everton, Leicester and Leeds with real worry.
“They’re big clubs, and a couple of them won’t like going down from a financial perspective. It’ll be painful for them and hurt badly.”
Perilous
It is once again looking horribly uncomfortable for Toffees fans after the 3-1 home defeat to Fulham on Saturday (15 April), with just goal-difference keeping Sean Dyche’s side out of the bottom three.
Conversely, Bournemouth are now six points clear, and with Crystal Palace also resurgent under Roy Hodgson certain candidates for the drop appear to be distancing themselves from danger.
However, prior to the loss of Abdoulaye Doucouré to suspension and then Amadou Onana to injury Dyche had Everton picking up points regularly.
He will have to take solace from the fact that things can turn around to a huge degree in a short space of time still, with O’Neil’s recent work the proof.
If they looked dead and buried in the eyes of most until just a couple of weeks ago then anyone is still in with a chance until it is mathematically over.
But form does need to improve fast, as the blows to the manager’s preferred starting XI have played havoc with his game plan in two flat defeats running.
Dyche has to return to the formula that had made Everton so hard to beat up to and including the draw with Tottenham on 3 April, and find a way to make the centre of his line up a strength again as soon as possible.