Everton secured their place in the Premier League for another season with a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth. Abdoulaye Doucoure’s second-half goal gave the Toffees the win they needed to avoid relegation. However, the fans’ elation was short-lived, and they quickly turned their anger towards the club’s board. Supporters chanted “Sack the board!” before the game had even finished. The directors, chairman Bill Kenwright, and owner Farhad Moshiri have not attended a home game since January due to security concerns. This was Everton’s third Great Escape on the final day of a Premier League season, but fans have had enough of underachievement.
Everton’s Struggles and Shortcomings
Everton has avoided relegation, but their struggles and shortcomings have been evident. They allowed last season’s top scorer, Richarlison, to leave for Tottenham for £60 million and replaced him with Brighton’s Neal Maupay for less than a quarter of that fee. Maupay has scored just once all season, and in January, Everton was the only club in the Premier League not to make a signing during the transfer window. They did, however, allow young forward Anthony Gordon to move to Newcastle for a £45m deal.
Manager Sean Dyche has kept the Toffees in the Premier League, but he was not the board’s first choice. Marcelo Bielsa was the board’s preferred candidate, but he quickly realized that Everton was in a bigger mess than he could resolve in six months, so Dyche got the job. Dyche acknowledged that there is a lot of work to be done, and unless there is more upheaval at the club, he will remain in charge to ensure progress.
The Future of Everton
Everton’s future is in the balance. They are due to move into a new stadium during the 2024-25 season, but before that, they must deal with the Premier League’s charge for breaching financial fair play regulations. If the charge is upheld, Everton could be deducted points next season, which would put them back in the relegation battle.
Avoiding relegation was crucial for Everton. Next season will be their 70th consecutive campaign in the top division. Only Arsenal can boast a longer streak. However, the fans’ demand for change from the board is clear. The streets around Goodison Park were quiet pre-match, and the calm was only broken by supporters chanting outside the ground, letting off flares and fireworks as kickoff approached. Dyche wanted to dial down the emotions, treat it like a normal day, so the players arrived individually in their cars.
Everton has avoided relegation, but the fans’ anger towards the board shows that they need to address their shortcomings and make changes if they want to compete at the top level. The club’s future is uncertain, and they must deal with the Premier League’s charge for breaching financial fair play regulations. Everton’s survival was crucial, but the Toffees must do better next season.
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