Jamie O’Hara shares Everton relegation admission live on talkSPORT after Manchester City loss
Jamie O’Hara has admitted that he still believes Everton will be “fine” this season and avoid relegation from the Premier League this season, despite their 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.
Sean Dyche’s side suffered consecutive league defeats for the first time since August as the champions claimed all three points with an impressive second-half display at Goodison Park on Wednesday 27 December.
The result leaves the Toffees one point and place above the relegation zone and Luton Town could leapfrog them if they win their game in hand, but O’Hara remains convinced that the Toffees will have more than enough to avoid the drop.
Speaking on talkSPORT (28 December, 6:10) he said: “I thought Everton were good in the first half, I thought they played really well. I really like Dwight McNeil at the moment, he’s playing some good football, Jack Harrison as well.
“I think Everton are going to be fine, you’re playing against Manchester City it’s just a free hit they came out in the second half and showed their dominance and just how good they are.”
Free hit
Everton will never admit it, but O’Hara is right to suggest that the Toffees would have viewed Wednesday night’s fixture as a free hit in their season as ultimately games against the teams at the top of the table won’t define their campaign.
Dyche’s side would have loved to have beaten the champions, especially at Goodison Park, but a win against Pep Guardiola’s team won’t boost their chances of Premier League survival more than a win over Luton Town would.
Everton’s focus between now and the end of the season will be on beating the teams in and around them at the foot of the table to drag them further into the relegation battle. If they can pick up results in those games, they’ll match O’Hara’s prediction and be “fine” this season.
Any upsets against the sides near the top of the Premier League will be a welcome bonus and would help the Toffees’ cause, but should they be relegated this season, they’re unlikely to reflect on the defeat to Manchester City as the game where it got away from them.
In other Everton news, one Toffees loanee has returned to Finch Farm and may require surgery following an injury