Everton will not care how they get their points between now and the end of the season, just that they get what is needed to survive.
Yesterday was a sparkling example of such a mentality, as they squeezed past a rather awful Burnley side courtesy of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hugely fortunate goal.
But he will not care.
That marks two from two now for the previously misfiring striker, and has ended a winless run in the Premier League that previously stretched back into December.
Such a victory is made even more important given what potential negativity looms just around the corner, too…
Natalie Sawyer and Dean Saunders fume over Everton deduction threat
Speaking live on talkSPORT earlier today (07/04, 07:23 am), both Natalie Sawyer and Dean Saunders were in agreement over the ongoing Everton controversy regarding PSR, which is set to finally reach its conclusion at the start of next week.
First detailing the match, and admitting that the Toffees were far from impressive, the latter pundit was still left more incensed by the off-pitch antics of the Premier League rather than yesterday’s relegation clash.
He noted: ‘How can this still be hanging over the league for everybody? For everybody who likes football, you’re still looking at the league table thinking: ‘Well Everton could still have points taken off them’.’
Sawyer would concur: ‘And bear in mind Forest are appealing their points deduction so who knows? They could get points back. And then Everton might appeal their second possible points deduction. That’s going to leave things up in the air. It is ridiculous.
‘I do understand that obviously there are legal things they have to go down so they do take a little bit of time, but we can’t end up at the end of the season with asterisks and not knowing what’s going to happen. That’s not fair on every team that’s involved. It is ridiculous.’
Everton and Luton Town have blown open the relegation race
As Everton seemed destined to pull away from the pack with their win yesterday, Luton Town’s emphatic comeback win at home to AFC Bournemouth saw them also put themselves in a far stronger position to avoid the drop.
So, with arguably five teams now all vying to avoid that one relegation spot left, assuming that Burnley and Sheffield United are both already down, it makes for a grandstand finish in the Premier League.
The Toffees were far from impressive yesterday, but against an opponent of that level, and the magnitude of the match itself, they did well to squeeze through with all three points.
Not only did it end their unrelenting winless run, but it has also seen them leapfrog Brentford and pull Crystal Palace into the mire now.
They are just one point above Everton, and therefore far from safe.
Wins for the Goodison Park outfit and the Hatters have made it so, from 18th to 14th, there is just a five-point gap.
Fortunately, Sean Dyche‘s men are in one of the positions of most strength, and will feel like their favourable run of fixtures will present enough opportunities to pull well clear regardless of their impending second deduction.