Sean Dyche has played down the significance of Everton playing before or after their relegation rivals ahead of their trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Blues go first this weekend with their game at Molineux a 3pm kick-off on Saturday while Nottingham Forest host Arsenal at 5:30pm that same evening. Leeds United go to West Ham United at 1:30pm on Sunday before Leicester City travel to Newcastle United at 8pm on Monday.
If Everton were to win and other results went their way, they could theoretically secure their Premier League status for another year before their final game of the season at home to Bournemouth on Sunday May 28 but Dyche is unconcerned over running orders. He said: “It’s the way the fixtures are thrown about by the Premier League, that’s the way it goes with Sky and the TV. It’s fair to say, I think there’s a balance view that everyone in the Premier League wants the money that comes in from the TV rights, therefore if they change the schedule, that’s the way it goes, you just have to go with it, that’s it.
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“You can look at it either way, I’ve been on either side of it. Last club, this club, whether you feel the game is on the right day or wrong day, that’s just the way it goes, the schedule is what it is, you have to deal with it.
“I didn’t dismiss it, I was just suggesting that the format is what it is. The powers that be decide it, you have to play regardless of what the challenge is.
“I’ve always looked at it that way from my point of view so therefore I can’t change the goal-posts from someone else’s point of view. From my point of view, whenever the game is, it’s about taking it on.
“I think we’ve just stayed very clear-minded trying to take away the layers of noise around our group to make sure we’re focused on the game. That’s all we look to do, others can do however they wish.”
Everton are fighting to avoid what could be the club’s first relegation in 72 years and after moving out of the drop zone with their 5-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion, they managed to keep their heads above water despite a 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City last time out. Dyche insists that it’s only the final league table that matters though and added: “I don’t stare at the league. I stare at the performances, I stare at the group, I stare at the prep, I stare at the strategy, I stare at all these things, the tactics, these are the things I’m obsessing with.
“It’s not about the league table at this stage, I’ve said it for weeks, the one at the end of the season is the most important. Of course we all debate it and look at it during a season, of course we do, but the one at the end of the season, that’s the most important, the one we’re looking to be above the line on.”
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