Paul Merson thinks Everton are naive for their style of play amid a relegation scrap, while also predicting a rival to stay up.
Everton have lost their last four Premier League matches on the bounce, conceding nine goals in that time. Their most recent outing ended in a 1-0 loss to Wolves at Goodison Park, during which Jonjoe Kenny got sent off.
Frank Lampard’s men are firmly in a relegation battle which also involves Watford, Burnley and Norwich. Leeds and Brentford are just above them, although those two sides could stay up after winning at the weekend.
Everton have never been relegated from the Premier League, with their last stint in the second tier coming in the 1950s. But Championship football is now a possibility amid their dire form.
The Merseyside outfit come up against Newcastle at home on Thursday evening, and Merson believes it is an integral game for Lampard and co.
‘Everton have got to go and win that game now – a draw’s no good,’ Merson wrote in his Sky Sports column. ‘They’ve had some injuries in key places. They need Dominic Calvert-Lewin back firing.’
Merson thinks Everton’s lack of experience in fighting for safety is affecting their chances of staying up.
‘But they’re sort of in that situation where it’s Everton, never been relegated, so they go out and try to play entertaining, attacking football,’ he added. ‘Frank Lampard, when he was at Chelsea, always tried to play on the front foot and have a go.
‘I don’t know if Everton think they’re too good just to go and get a point somewhere, because points mount up. At the moment they’re chasing their tails. Wolves at home wasn’t a good day at the office, so just get a point – you’ve got to start a run somewhere.
‘I’m looking at Everton’s fixtures and the way they’re playing and I think they’re in big trouble. I think they’re the ones to go now. You’ve only got to look at their fixtures – they’re atrocious. I just can’t see how they stay up.
‘They’ve got games in hand, but where do they get points? You look at the Brentford game but that could be too late. I think they’ve got to beat Newcastle.’
There are more positives for Brentford though, following their 2-0 victory over Burnley on Saturday.
That made it back-to-back wins for Thomas Frank’s side and they are now eight points ahead of the bottom three.
Merson believes their upturn in form is down to a January arrival – Christian Eriksen. ‘He comes into the team and Ivan Toney plays further up the pitch and he scores five goals in two games – it doesn’t take Einstein to figure that out,” Merson added.
‘Toney was coming back trying to do what Eriksen was doing because he wasn’t getting the ball, but now he’s playing further up front.
‘You’re asking teams to win three games in their last 10 when some have only won three or four in their first 28, so Brentford are safe now.’
READ MORE: Lampard clutching at straws after Wolves loss; reveals what Everton must do to avoid relegation
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