Since the day I was born, only three teams have been ever-present in the top-flight of English football – Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton. It’s just one of those weird facts that sticks in your mind for no discernible reason. But now, as we enter the final few weeks of the season, there is a distinct possibility that the ‘unrelegatable three’ is about to be downgraded to the ‘unrelegatable two’.

With just six games to go, Everton are third from bottom and involved in relegation fight to the death. And, given the matches they have left to play, it’s a fight they could very well lose. Demotion would bring to an end a run in the elite of English football that has lasted a staggering 71 years. Only Arsenal, who haven’t dropped down a division since 1919, have been at the top for longer.

When owner Farhad Moshri took over the club six years ago he had all sorts of ambitious plans to make Everton a powerhouse not just of English football, but European football as well. And he has spent well over half a billion on players in an effort to achieve those goals.

To be fair, I don’t agree with those who lay the blame for their current predicament entirely at his feet. Some of Moshri’s managerial appointments have been questionable, but attracting Carlo Ancelotti was a coup and a move that would probably have brought long-term success if the Italian hadn’t been tempted by the bright lights of Madrid.

Where Moshri went disastrously wrong, though, was in the appointment of Rafa Benitez. I said at the time it was a huge gamble because, as a former Liverpool manager, he was only going to be a couple of poor results away from losing any goodwill. And that’s exactly what happened, with the unrest in the dressing room and in the stands having a highly negative effect on player morale and a devastating effect on results.

With Benitez out, Moshri turned to Frank Lampard, which seemed like a good idea at the time but, in hindsight, given the mess the club was in, maybe a more experienced manager would have been better. Someone who has been through a dogfight and come out alive.

Given the mess the club was in, maybe a more experienced manager would have been better

But that ship has sailed, leaving Frank and Everton with six games to save their skins. As I said earlier, that is not going to be easy as they have some tough games ahead. This afternoon they face Chelsea, and follow that up with Leicester City next weekend. Two games they could easily contrive to lose.

After that, they do have potentially winnable games against Watford, Brentford and Crystal Palace, although none of them are exactly forgone conclusions. Most importantly, Everton need to do whatever they can to ensure the battle doesn’t go down to the last day of season when they face a daunting trip to Arsenal, which could easily seal their fate.

I remember, quite fondly actually, the great Everton team of the 1980s when they won titles, trophies and European cups. Manager Howard Kendall had them playing delightful football, aided, of course, by a certain Gary Lineker banging in the goals up front. That period made Kendall an Everton legend. The next six games will decide whether Lampard follows a similar path or becomes a Moshri scapegoat.

 

Paul problem solves itself

When Erik ten Hag sits down at his shiny new Old Trafford desk in the summer he will be faced with a ‘to-do’ list of epic proportions. Let’s not beat around the bush: the Dutchman has a mammoth task ahead if he is to turn around a club that has been rushing headlong in the wrong direction for years.

Although he is officially still Ajax manager, I am pretty sure Erik is spending most of his free time planning an Old Trafford revolution, jotting down the problems that need solving. On a very long piece of paper. However, luckily for him, one of the biggest issues he would have had to deal with, and one of the most crucial, will have resolved itself by the time he gets there. And that is Paul Pogba.

Although there is no doubting the French midfielder’s talent, he has rarely shown it while wearing United colours. More pertinent than his lack of on-field impact, however, is the effect he has been having off the pitch.

It seems to me he has been stirring up trouble and provoking unrest in the dressing room pretty much ever since he returned to the club. Snide comments, dismissive interviews, constant transfer talk, cryptic tweets – Pogba has less chance of getting nominated for team player of the year than old Vlad P has of making the Nobel Peace Prize shortlist.

I’m sure there are other players in the dressing room who have been disruptive and awkward to manage in recent times – especially under the relatively weak leadership of Ole Gunnar Solskjær. But I am equally certain that Pogba, with his somewhat over-inflated sense of self-importance and belief that he should be the centre of attention, was the ring-leader.

As I said, barring an incredible turnaround that sees Pogba sign a new contract at United, this is one problem that has solved itself. The Frenchman’s contract coincidentally expires on the day Erik’s starts.

That only leaves ten Hag with around 300 other problems to solve…

 

E-mail: james@quizando.com

Twitter: @maltablade