BBC journalist namedrops Everton in Premier League ‘mini-league’ verdict live on air
A “mini-league” has already broken out in the Premier League this season, with Everton among the clubs involved.
That is according to BBC journalist Rob Staton after the club’s 10-point deduction for breaching the league’s profit and sustainability rules.
Discussing Sheffield United, Staton highlighted their recent matches with Bournemouth and Burnley as must-win games in order to stay in the Premier League.
“I think the reason why people were looking at these two games is simply because a mini-league has already broken out in the Premier League,” Staton said live on The Monday Night Club on BBC 5 Live Sport (4 December).
“And if Sheffield United were going to have a chance of staying up, the matches against Luton, who they have soon, against Burnley, Bournemouth, took on greater significance.
“People were looking at those teams, and Everton now that they’ve had the points deduction, and feeling, if you’re not going to get the points there, then where are you going to get the points?”
Relegation battle in full flow
There was always going to be another tense relegation battle in the Premier League this season, but perhaps not many people thought it would be so competitive this early.
The Blades are currently rock bottom of the standings with just five points to their name, having lost those matches against the Cherries and the Clarets 3-1 and 5-0 respectively.
Just ahead of them on seven points each are Burnley and Everton, with Luton Town in 17th on nine points. Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest meanwhile are seemingly relatively safe for the time being on 13 points.
After initial struggles, Everton moved clear of that pack with a handful of impressive performances, with Sean Dyche’s men sitting in 14th place not too long ago.
But the 10-point deduction fired them back down to 19th, with the recent win against Nottingham Forest edging them up into 18th.
Having been involved in relegation battles in the last two seasons, a third successive battle is the last thing Toffees fans want.
In other Everton news, Alan Shearer was stunned by “mad” Toffees footage from their match with Nottingham Forest live on BBC.