Everton’s struggle for Premier League survival continues tonight as they travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.
After a weekend in which all four of the teams below them in the table failed to win, Everton will begin this evening two points clear of the drop zone. However, as Sean Dyche has repeatedly stated, his Blues would already be secure if the club had not received points deductions this season.
Everton received six-point and two-point penalties, the latter of which will be appealed, for breaking the league’s spending regulations. Without them, the Blues would be 10 points ahead of third-bottom Luton Town.
Fourth-from-bottom Nottingham Forest, however, would be five points ahead of Luton rather than one if not for their four-point deduction. Their appeal against the penalty is scheduled to be heard following Forest’s visit to Goodison Park on Sunday (April 21).
It means the struggle to stay in the top division could yet be decided off the pitch. That is absolutely not fair to Everton and Forest fans, nor to the followers of Luton, Burnley, and Sheffield United, whose clubs are currently in the relegation zone after being promoted from the Championship last season.
And, speaking about the position at the bottom of the Premier League on the latest The Rest is Football podcast, Goodison great Gary Lineker claimed that league managers may prefer to keep the present bottom three in place.
“I suspect, and I know this is a bit unfair, but I suspect the Premier League will be sort of hoping that’s the case,” said Lineker, who scored 40 goals in his sole season at Everton. “Because that way the points deductions won’t affect it.”
Asked who he believes will go down, fellow guest Alan Shearer said: “I think the bottom three in terms of Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton.”
The Blues have two games in hand over Forest and Luton, who play Brentford on Saturday (April 20). A day later, their two opponents will face off at Goodison.
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