Match Preview

If recent performances are anything to go by, Everton have been dead set on finishing 17th — in other words the lowest Premiership club not to get relegated.  And they can achieve that ignominious conclusion to the season with defeat at the City of Manchester Stadium this weekend because Manchester City will leapfrog them into 16th should they win.

Not since 1998, when they escaped the drop on goal difference, have the Blues finished as low as 17th.  When you look at some of the talent that exists in the squad and the calibre of our manager, it is utterly baffling why Everton go into the last game of the campaign knowing that defeat will leave them one place above the drop zone, and their lowest effective points total since the beginning of Division One football in 1892-3.

Had they made any real attempt to finish 10th — a realistic target until two or three games ago — the club would be looking at an extra £4M in award money.  Read that again and weep.  If only for a little more commitment, consistency and better finishing...

Still, as painful as that statistic is, there is no use in dwelling on it because, if results go their way, 14th place and one last chance to give the endlessly loyal fans something to cheer are in the offing on Saturday.  If Everton win, Tottenham lose at Wolves and Portsmouth lose to Middlesbrough, then the Blues can add another £1.2M to the coffers from the Premier League.

Thomas Gravesen, Kevin Kilbane, Gary Naysmith, Li Tie, Alessandro Pistone and Alan Stubbs are all sidelined by injury and it's hard to see David Moyes shuffling his pack much from the line-up that started against Bolton.

That means starting roles for Leon Osman and James McFadden � both of whom, as prospects for the future, need as much first team experience as possible � and probably Duncan Ferguson starting up front with Wayne Rooney.

If he gets over an achilles injury in time, David Unsworth could make his final appearance in an Everton jersey at left back for lack of anyone else capable of playing that position and Tony Hibbert will likely line up again at right back alongside Joseph Yobo and David Weir. Steve Watson, despite a poor showing against Bolton, could start on the right if only because Lee Carsley has been even more woeful as a substitute in recent games.

It's hard to get excited about this one because the players have let us down so badly recently and, ultimately, most of us just want this miserable season to end, even though we know that the close season could be just as painful watching Liverpool court multi-million pound investors and the rest of the Premiership add to their squads.

It's merely a case of seeing what, if any, response the players will have to three successive defeats and whether the potential humiliation of finishing 17th is enough to make them want to claim three points, or at least stave off a City victory.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Stats

This will be the 154th meeting between Everton and Manchester City in all competitions, and the 75th away to City.  This match will be the 14th meeting in the Premier League, and will also see Everton's first match at the new City of Manchester Stadium (or Eastlands, if you prefer).

Everton's full record against Manchester City is:

Our record away to the blue half of Manchester is:

The last match between the two sides was earlier this season on 7 December when the teams shared a point in a fairly dull 0-0 draw at Goodison Park.  The last match away to City was also our last match at Maine Road on 31 August 2002, when Everton suffered yet another defeat in Manchester, this time 3-1, when David Unsworth scored Everton's only goal.

Everton's biggest victory away to Manchester City was 5-2 on 8 May 1993, which was the last day of the inaugural Premier League season, 1992-93.  This match saw the last appearance by Peter Beardsley for Everton and also saw, for the only time in top flight history, that all four goalkeepers were used, with Andy Dibble coming on at half-time for City, before Jason Kearton replaced Neville Southall after an hour, due to a back strain.  The biggest defeat away to City was also in the Premiership when Walter Smith's side lost 5-0 at Maine Road on 9 December 2000.

The most common victory for Everton at Manchester City is 3-1 which has happened five times in Everton's paltry 14 victories.  Manchester City's most common victory at home to Everton is 1-0 which has happened 12 times in City's 42 home victories.  The most common draw between the sides is 1-1 which has happened nine times in 18 draws.

Everton's record for 15 May is:

Unsurprisingly, due to the fact that Everton have only played three matches, this will be the first meeting between the sides on this date.  In 1982, Everton travelled to Aston Villa and came away with the points following a 2-1 victory, with a 1-0 victory at home to Derby County on this day in 1989.

Sandwiched in between, in 1985, was one of Everton's biggest victories when the all-conquering 1984-85 side beat Rapid Vienna 3-1 in Rotterdam to claim our only European trophy to date, the European Cup Winners' Cup.  Unfortunately, two weeks later, that side was denied the chance to compete with the very best in Europe when all English clubs were banned from playing abroad due to the Heysel tragedy.

On this day in 1882, Jimmy 'Paddy' Sheridan was born.  Paddy first played for the club in the 1902-03 season when he made 17 league appearances and scored two goals.  The following season saw Paddy make just 3 league appearances and, yet again, score two league goals before he was sold to Stoke City.  Also, on this day in 1882, Walter 'Wattie' White was born.  Wattie first appeared for the club in the 1908-09 season when he scored 3 goals in 18 league appearances, as well as getting an FA Cup goal in his two appearances in that competition.  The following season, Wattie made 23 appearances whilst scoring 6 goals, as well as getting 2 goals in 7 appearances in that season's FA Cup.  His final season for the club, 1910-11, saw Wattie make just 2 appearances, but he still managed to score a goal, before being sold to Fulham in October 1910.

This day in 1949 saw T G Jones turn out for Wales in their 3-2 friendly defeat against Portugal.

On this day in 1971, Alan Ball appeared for England in their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland, in the Home International Championship.  This was Ball's 50th cap for his country.

Three years later, Dave Clements appeared for Northern Ireland against England in the same competition, with exactly the same result as England yet again won 1-0.

This day in 2002, saw Tomasz Radzinski score 2 goals in Canada's 3-1 victory in a friendly international against Switzerland.

Milestone's that can be reached in this game:

• If Steve Watson starts the match, it will be his 100th start for Everton in all competitions.
• If Duncan Ferguson starts the match it will be his 150th start for Everton in the league.
• If Wayne Rooney scores a hat-trick, he will be beat William Dean's record of the youngest ever Everton player to score three goals in a match.  This is the last chance that Rooney has to claim the record.

Steve Flanagan

Report

Embarrassing? Shameful? Disgraceful?

Well pick any or all three or more.  It doesn't really matter.  I'm just back from witnessing a day where most of our players behaved like a dis-organised, dis-spirited rabble.  Where the Manager behaved like he had not got a clue how to get his side to play for him let alone the fans.  Where the manager picked an out and out right back.... at left back..... and ignored the stupefying obvious impact this had on the defence as a whole, forcing Yobo to right back � where he has already proved to be less effective and leaving two incredibly slow and aging defenders in the centre.  Yep we had lots of left-sided players out injured but why not play a three-man back line with Watson on the left and Hibbert the right ?

Moyes was in no way solely to blame for this disgrace but he didn't help himself and frankly seemed lost at times, retreating to the bench, shocked at the way "his" team folded.

Bill Kenwright was seen arguing with fellow board members and fans at half-time, then returned alone to his front row seat, head in his hands, for a time just another gutted supporter amazed at how low we have sunk.

And Moyes afterwards?  Honest, genuine, ashamed and in the most telling moment discussing what he needs to do next year "if I am still here...."

Well, Davey, it doesn't matter whether you or Rooney are here next year because, unless certain despicable Board members find one last forgotten shred of decency, it will count for nothing... unless we find new money and � more importantly � new spirit and desire in the Boardroom and elsewhere, we are lost.

Rusty Man

At the City match, the following leaflet was circulated:

OPEN LETTER TO EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB
QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. Where are the funds for David Moyes?
2. How much will be available?
3. What role does Paul Gregg play at EFC?
4. Was Paul Gregg brought in by Bill Kenwright solely to acquire the King's Dock?
5. Has the Board ever discussed the sale of Wayne Rooney, and if so, why?
6. Is there any real ambition or possibility of investment by this Board of Directors?
7. What has happened to the youth Academy? It has been talked about for four years.
8. Wasn't the money from the sale of Ball, Jeffers and Dunne used to pay off the debt?
9. The debt when the Kenwright consortium bought the club was listed at �20 million, it is now �38 million, why?
10. Would the Board be willing to meet a delegation of Everton fans to discuss these matters? If not, then we urge all EFC fans not to renew their season tickets until all these questions are answered.

These are all legitimate questions from Everton fans, all we want is what is best for our beloved club.  Do the Board of Directors?

ps: Has anyone seen Paul Gregg aka Lord Lucan?