Charlie Austin has said he thinks it would be "funny" if Everton are relegated to the Championship this season.
The Toffees are currently in the bottom three in the Premier League after defeat to arch-rivals Liverpool last Sunday. That loss, combined with Burnley's win over Wolves, means Frank Lampard's side are two points adrift of safety with just six matches left to play. Should they suffer the ignominy of relegation it would mean the club would dip into the second tier of English football for the first time since 1954.
Queens Park Rangers' striker Austin has no sympathy for the blue half of Merseyside however. The wind-up merchant, who is a Liverpool supporter, has previous against the Toffees. Earlier this season he scored twice in QPR's 2-2 draw against them in the Carabao Cup.
He also netted in the resulting penalty shoot-out to dump the Blues, then under Rafael Benitez, out of the competition. Appearing on talkSPORT, Austin was asked on his thoughts about the possibility of facing Everton next season given QPR are unable to clinch a play-off place in the Championship.
"It doesn’t really matter to me, but yeah, it would be quite funny," said the 32-year-old. “How I can compare Liverpool and Everton at this moment is that years ago, before Man City had the money, Man United playing Man City was just a given that United were going to win. That’s what it’s been like with Liverpool and Everton.
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“On Sunday morning, I was looking at the game and yes, I was excited but I wasn’t looking at it and saying it’s derby day and it’s a big game. I just thought that it was another game that Liverpool were going to win. Everton have spent money. They’ve spent serious cash in the wrong areas and the wrong managers. Ronald Koeman, Carlo Ancelotti and they’ve thrown money in the wrong areas.
“I saw what Liverpool and Everton had spent over the last four years and Everton were bigger in every area. When people do that and throw that money about, it’s funny.”
Lampard's side have a tough run-in as they bid to secure safety. Sunday sees him welcome his old club Chelsea to Goodison Park. They could go into that game five points shy of safety, if Burnley win against Watford on the Saturday.
Despite the doom and gloom surrounding the Toffees, Lampard insisted after the Anfield defeat that a positive frame of mind was vital. "There are 18 points to fight for, that is a lot of points,” he said. “It is important for the players and fans and club not to get sucked into that in a negative way. “Be realistic, yes – but there are a lot of games for us to try to win. With the attitude we showed, the togetherness and spirit, and if a few things go our way, we’ll get the results."
