Pat Nevin makes ‘Remarkable’ Everton claim in new relegation verdict
Pat Nevin has shared what he believes is the benchmark for David Moyes to avoid relegation with Everton this season.
Moyes has been in remarkable form during his second spell on Merseyside. The 4-0 win against Leicester City on Saturday (1 February) marked his third win in his opening four matches.
The Blues also added Carlos Alcaraz to their ranks on Deadline Day (3 February), and Nevin said via BBC Sport (4 February, 3:41pm) that he believes Moyes’ “powerful” impact on the players will ensure Everton retain their top-flight status this term.
He said: “Suddenly, every Everton player looks more confident and more powerful. Moysie knew the players and he knew the club, but even so it is a remarkable dead cat bounce from a team that certainly wasn’t purring.
“There is a comfortable nine-point cushion from the drop and I’d say three more wins from the last 14 games will be enough to escape relegation. I always thought they would stay up, but until now I never thought they would do it with ease.
“Well done David Moyes, because of you, the grand old lady that is Goodison Park, should get the send-off she deserves in May.”
The Friedkin Group lucked out with David Moyes at Everton
Moyes deserves all the plaudits for the excellent job he has performed since returning to Everton.
Although some relatively ignorant supporters are blind to his instant impact at Goodison Park, no one would have predicted the boss would immediately steady the ship after Sean Dyche’s dismissal.
In rather poetic fashion, two of his three wins have come against Tottenham and Brighton, who combined to put seven goals past the Toffees in the opening two matches of the season.
The players look rejuvenated under Moyes, and when Beto, who was linked with a move away from Merseyside throughout the transfer window, is scoring a brace in the Premier League, you’re onto a winner.
However, plenty of football remains to be played until May and Everton are not yet out of the woods in the upcoming relegation battle.
With a tough FA Cup fourth-round tie against Bournemouth on Saturday (8 February) followed by the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park (12 February), the Blues could crash out of the FA Cup, be pulled back into the relegation scrap, and hand Liverpool the upper hand in the Premier League title race in the space of four days.
But based on recent form, Moyes is highly likely to take his Everton side to the next level.
In other Everton news, Blues fans could be about to see a brand-new Beto after transfer links.
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