Exclusive: Collymore says pressure off Everton against Arsenal despite Toffees’ poor form

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Premier League leaders Arsenal will travel to Goodison Park this weekend to take on relegation-threatened Everton.

The Toffees are enduring arguably their worst-ever season, and after sitting 19th after 20 games, are genuine contenders to be relegated to the Championship.

Having won just three Premier League games all season, the club’s owners were left with little choice but to relieve former boss Frank Lampard of his duties.

Bringing in ex-Burnley boss Sean Dyche last month, Everton’s hopes of top-flight survival are now firmly pinned on the no-nonsense 51-year-old, and even though the blue half of Merseyside is set to welcome league leaders Arsenal this weekend, according to former Liverpool attacker Stan Collymore, the pressure is off for the Toffees.

“Everton’s game against Arsenal is the perfect one for Dyche to start with,” Collymore said in an exclusive interview.

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“There is virtually no expectation on Everton. Who is going to bat an eyelid if they lose? – No one, so go out, give it your all, impress the new manager and maybe pull off an upset.

“Do I expect Arsenal to win? Of course, I do, but it’s basically a free punt for the Toffees to go out and give it a shot.

“It’s almost an easier occasion to play than a game against Bournemouth or Southampton, for example. Dyche will know that too, so he’ll use Saturday’s game as an opportunity to see what his players can do, and more importantly, what they can’t.”

Everton’s home match against Mikel Arteta’s high-flying Gunners, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon, is set to kick off at 12.30 p.m. (UK time) and will be broadcast live on BT Sport.

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1 Comment

  1. I understand Collymore’s reasoning, but in this instance it just making excuses. Of course there’s pressure on Everton, this a massive chance to jump out the relegation zone, Bournemouth and Wolves play Brighton and Liverpool respectively, games which the are unlikely to win, and if Dyche con somehow engineer a win at home over Arsenal, it’ll do them a world of good, for their position and their confidence

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