Everton fans are concerned about the way things are going this season.
There were celebrations a couple of weeks ago when The Friedkin Group completed their takeover of Everton. But on the pitch, results and performances haven’t been good.
Sean Dyche is under big pressure at the moment, having won just three games this season, while scoring just 15 goals in the process.
The latest defeat came against Bournemouth, who won 1-0 at the Vitality.
It was a sorry performance from the visitors, who did not manage a single shot on target.
Not for the first time this season – and arguably the last two campaigns – Everton might have lost by a bigger scoreline had it not been for Jordan Pickford, who’s one player Darren Bent thinks will be on his way in the event of relegation.
Darren Bent says Jordan Pickford and four others will leave Everton if club get relegated
Everton would be in the relegation zone right now had it not been for the contributions of Pickford, who was recently branded ‘underrated’ by Gary Lineker.
The England number one has maintained a high level this season, and is giving the team at last a fighting chance in games.
But his contributions sadly aren’t counting for as much as they should, because the forwards are not pulling their weight.
Many players are expected to leave Everton this summer regardless of whether the club get relegated or not, since several are out of contract.
If Everton go down, even more could be on the way out – and pundit Bent reckons there’s no way Pickford stays. He also named four other players he expects to go.
He said on talkSPORT yesterday: “If they go down, there’ll be a wholesale firesale going on. Pickford will 100% leave.
“(He) Branthwaite will go, Doucoure, Mangala, Idrissa Gueye.”
Pickford could still leave despite looking to the future with Everton
Many will likely agree with Bent over Pickford – certainly non-Everton fans would expect him to move on.
But even if Everton did get relegated, some Evertonians would like to think there’d be a chance of Pickford staying.
Because the 30-year-old expressed his happiness about being an Everton player last week, and seemed to be excited about the future.
Pickford praised the Everton fans, and also said (via Mirror): “Then, with the new owners coming in, I’ve always said that’s not much to do with us as players but it feels like a fresh start for the club as a whole.
“My part of that is doing my bit and contributing on the pitch. I’ve still got two years left on my contract after this one, so, 100 percent, I am looking forward to moving in and hopefully playing my part in getting us moving upwards.”
Without doubt, Pickford will have some thinking to do if the worst outcome for Everton comes to pass.
Receive a digest of our best Everton content each week direct to your mailbox
