BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks has claimed Everton will stay in the Premier League if they can replicate their performance at Liverpool in the run in. The Toffees kept the quadruple chasing Reds at bay for just over an hour but were in the end defeated 2-0 thanks to goals from Andy Robertson and Divock Origi.
Frank Lampard’s side had just 18% possession at Anfield on Sunday but provided a threat on the counterattack, particularly through the pace of Anthony Gordon. Everton were also far more solid at the back then they have been in recent weeks, but were ultimately undone by a Liverpool side packed with quality.
With the defeat, Everton have now dropped into the bottom three for the first time this season after Burnley’s 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the day. The Clarets have now picked up seven points from their last nine available under interim boss Mike Jackson, which has heaped the pressure on both Everton and Leeds United.
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Leeds had a healthy buffer over the bottom three following their last outing at Watford 16 days ago but enter tonight’s clash with Crystal Palace with the two sides below them breathing heavily down their necks. And in his latest BBC Sport team of the week column, Crooks suggested that Everton will have enough to survive if they show the same level of ‘fight and commitment’ for the remainder of the season.
He said: “As for Everton, their situation is quite straightforward for me. If they continue to play with the fight and commitment they showed against Liverpool, staying in the league will not be an issue. The problem for them is if they don't.”
