Jordan Pickford lifts lid on Everton point deduction as Sean Dyche message revealed
Jordan Pickford has lifted the lid on the Everton points deduction and revealed the details of the message that Sean Dyche gave the playing side.
The Toffees picked up their first points since they were deducted 10 for breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday (2 December).
While Everton still remain in the relegation zone and two points away from safety, Pickford has admitted that he and the playing squad aren’t even looking at the table and Dyche has urged his players to not focus on the deduction news.
As quoted by the Liverpool Echo (4 December) he said: “We’ve had the points deduction but have got to focus and keep pushing forward. It’s now a tough game against Newcastle on Thursday.
“It’s something we said not to focus on. The manager spoke about it too. We’ve just got to focus and keep looking forward, picking up results. It’s only December, don’t look at the league table, look at ourselves and how we can get wins.
“In previous years, I don’t think we come away with three points. We’ve turned a corner and are moving forward as a team. These are the games you reflect on at the end of the season. Holding onto three points will be big.”
Turned a corner
Everton’s win over Forest on Saturday was a typical Dyche performance, with the Toffees working hard out of possession away from home and taking their best chance of the game to claim all three points and move closer to safety.
It is often said that teams never win anything in December, so it seems ridiculous to suggest that the Toffees are already relegated just because they sit within the bottom three ahead of the festive period.
Everton are only two points away from Luton Town in 17th and should results go their way in midweek, Dyche’s side may well find themselves out of the bottom three only a matter of days after they were rooted to the bottom of the table.
The Toffees appear to have finally turned a corner and have found ways to win the matches that will define their season. They don’t need to worry about the league table and if they keep picking up points like they did at the City Ground, it will ultimately take care of itself.
In other Everton news, Jamie O’Hara and Jason Cundy have made a new “enormous” admission surrounding the Toffees relegation hopes