Everton 1-0 Brentford (Gueye 60′)
Everton have staved off the threat of Premier League relegation for another season as they edged past Brentford at Goodison Park.
Despite being deducted eight points for two breaches of the league’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) this season, the Toffees have survived with three games to go.
And they managed it with their third consecutive win, albeit a dire, drab one, thanks to Idrissa Gueye capitalising on some penalty-box pinball to fire home on the hour mark.
Starting without midweek hero Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who missed out through illness, Gueye’s goal came from Everton’s first shot on target and just the second of the game.
But none of this will matter for Sean Dyche and his team, who have weathered the situation forced on them by woeful mismanagement and the shocking lack of structure around PSR penalties.
They will now hope they can move into next season on the front foot, although there is every chance their great war with financial regulations has not ended yet.
The Toffees are still waiting to hear the results of their second PSR appeal after being deducted two points for breaching the rules between 2019-2023.
Yet this announcement, which may not come until after the end of the season, is unlikely to worsen their current situation and would certainly not carry a penalty heavy enough to end in relegation.
And even this appeal hearing may not signal closing time on the regulatory chaos, as a potential third hearing awaits in the summer regarding complex loan repayments.
While any potential third case would not affect the outcome of this season, it could mean the Toffees start next season on minus points.
But for now, none of this will matter, with the Merseysiders content to celebrate an impressive survival in tough circumstances, even if a lot of them were of their own making.
And while this game will have meant very little to already-safe Brentford, it may well raise ongoing concerns about their future prospects.
Despite recent wins over relegation candidates Luton and Sheffield United, Thomas Frank’s side have repeatedly failed to convince when it matters and may well still end the season short of the famed 40-point mark.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/oxqErvj
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