Everton have been consistently pegged back this season despite their improved performances, which should currently merit a position 15th in the table and ten points clear of the bottom three.
However, as is the current situation, the Premier League have dragged them back down into the mire, intent on ragging any positivity from Goodison Park in its penultimate year as the home of the Toffees.
Deduction scandals and takeover turmoil have dominated this particular campaign, and did so again in Sean Dyche‘s latest press conference.
And yet, he offered one response which detailed a faint air of positivity to potentially be had…
Sean Dyche makes big deduction claim in press conference
Speaking to his press conference earlier today, the former Burnley boss was quizzed for the first time since his side’s latest points deduction.
The two-point penalty, which saw Everton become the first side in top-flight history to receive two deductions in the same season, has drawn mass scrutiny from Evertonians and media personalities alike.
It is grossly unfair, but this organisation is relentless in beating down the Toffees.
Fortunately, Dyche has now been afforded some assurances regarding a potential third deduction, as he first offered his feelings on the matter: ‘I think similar to last, you know, it’s unexpected in the sense that we thought it’d been dealt with.
‘It obviously wasn’t or it hasn’t been, and obviously the time the window to possibly appeal, so the club will be looking into that.
But yeah, the last response was: What’s done is done. The league table changes. We know or we are very very confident, we’ve been told it won’t change again as regards to anything this season.
‘So therefore, our focus is on the next round of games coming up after after the news and spoke to the players about it, reminded the staff about it, reminded them the truth at the moment, which is to stay focused on the job in hand.’
Some security at last for Everton
Well, at least that debacle is settled for the rest of the season.
And whilst it may rear its ugly head once again next campaign, which every Evertonian is likely expecting now, at the very least Dyche is now in a position where no external factors can move their Premier League table position. Only his team can.
So, there should be a newfound element of stability and security bred in this knowledge, that could provide a springboard to finish the term strongly.