Journalist does not expect Everton to return to Premier League if they are relegated

Daily Mail reporter Ian Ladyman does not expect Everton to return to the Premier League “any time soon” should they suffer relegation this season.

The Toffees have narrowly avoided the drop in the past two seasons and are bottom of the table after two rounds of fixtures this campaign.

Dropping into the Championship next year would come at the worst possible time for Everton as they are due to move into their new stadium at some point in 2024.

Ladyman expressed his concerns for Everton in his Daily Mail column on Thursday [24 August].

“Will [Sean] Dyche manage it? I wouldn’t back against him but he faces mounting odds,” Ladyman said.

“This season’s squad is worse than last season’s squad and that one almost went down. So go figure.

“That stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock awaits. Leaving Goodison will be a wrench.

“I only hope that Everton are still playing top-flight football when they do leave.

“Because if they aren’t I would have no great optimism about seeing them again any time soon.”

Long road back

Everton finished two places above the dropzone in 2021-22 and just one place above the dotted line last time around.

Two points was the difference between staying up and dropping out of the top flight of English football for the first time since 1953-54.

The Toffees would be a true heavyweight in the Championship, but that does not always count for a great deal.

Indeed, just ask Leeds United, who famously spiralled into League One before eventually working their way back up.

Everton’s financial situation means they simply cannot afford to be playing outside of the Premier League for a year, never mind multiple seasons.

The squad will be ripped apart and the players that remain will be playing second-tier football inside the club’s state-of-the-art new stadium.

That is a vision that will look more and more real unless Dyche can turn things around, starting with victory against Wolves on Saturday [26 August].

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