Richard Keys suggests points deduction could relegate Everton in Premier League
Richard Keys has suggested that a possible points deduction could see Everton relegated from the Premier League in his predictions ahead of the new season.
Writing on his website on Monday (7 August) he suggested that he believes the three promoted sides will be the most likely to succumb to relegation, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be an easy campaign for the Toffees.
While Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton are his picks to return to the Championship, Keys mooted the idea that the Toffees may do enough on the pitch to remain in the top flight, but troubles off of it could impede them.
Discussing Sean Dyche’s side’s fate, he said: “It’s going to be quite a race at the bottom and it’s an easy one to call. Everton will struggle again.
“There’s no goals in the team. A possible points deduction for financial irregularities could relegate them.”
Harsh and speculative
Few other pundits would take into account a potential points deduction when doing their pre-season predictions, but then few are quite like Keys. While Everton’s financial situation remains rocky, they don’t appear likely (at the moment) to suffer a points deduction.
As for the lack of goals, a fully fit and rejuvenated Dominic Calvert-Lewin could go a long way to helping that cause and after having a special training plan in pre-season, Dyche will be hoping his frontman can be back to his prolific best.
The likely incoming of Youseff Chermiti could well add a few extra goals with the Sporting Lisbon forward highly rated, while Arnaut Danjuma has chipped in with crucial strikes no matter where he has plied his trade throughout his career.
Things are certainly not perfect at Goodison Park, but there remains a feeling that they are in a much better situation than they were 12 months ago. Hopefully, that can be reflected on the pitch and the Toffees will blow away most of their doubters, including Keys.
In other Everton news, Sean Dyche has issued an update on Dele Alli’s fitness ahead of the new season