Everton are one of just six clubs to have never fallen out of the Premier League but are in a fight under Frank Lampard to avoid a first relegation from the English top-flight in 71-years.
The Toffees last bowed out of the top-flight in 1950/51 when the First Division consisted of 22 teams. It took the Goodison Park natives three seasons to find their way back out of the Second Division as runners-up to Leicester City, missing out on the title only on goal ratio.
- Everton’s last XI before Moshiri takeover, only one survivor
- England at the World Cup: Three Lions’ group stage record ahead of Qatar
Leicester pipped Everton to the crown having scored five more despite allowing two more, after both finished on 56 points. One fewer point would have seen Blackburn Rovers usurp either, having finished with the best Second Division goal ratio at 1.720 to 1.617 and 1.586.
Everton have not faced a second-tier title race in the last 68-years as a top-flight mainstay. And the Blues will hope Lampard can seal enough points to ensure they stay with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham as a Premier League ever-present.
Survival is still in the Toffees’ control with a month remaining of the 2021/22 season with a game in hand. They sit inside the bottom three by two points to Burnley, but having played one fewer game than the Clarets. They also have a game in hand on Watford in 19th-place.
Everton’s season run-in will see Lampard host his former club as a player and manager this Sunday in Chelsea. The Toffees also visit Leicester, Watford and host Brentford and Crystal Palace before a final day trip to Arsenal. Potentially hoping for a different end to 1950/51.
Everton lose three-way fight for final day relegation in 1950/51
Three sides in Everton, Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday entered the final day of the term fighting relegation 71-years ago. Two of them would drop out of the First Division, with the Owls in the worst possession needing to beat the Toffees and eclipse the Blues’ goal ratio.
Chelsea ended the season at home to Bolton Wanderers, while Everton travelled to South Yorkshire to face Sheffield Wednesday. The west London side started the final day in the bottom two with the Owls. Yet did all they could to ensure a top-flight spot with a 4-0 win.
The result boosted Chelsea’s goal ratio but they could not afford Everton taking any points at Hillsborough. And the Owls came through for the Blues, beating the Toffees 6-0. Enough for the Stamford Bridge outfit to stay up, as Everton and Sheffield Wednesday went down.
Everton ended the campaign bottom of the table only on goal ratio, with all three level on 32 points. Chelsea clinched survival with a 0.815 goal ratio, to the Owls’ 0.771 and Toffees’ 0.558. Goals scored particularly coming back to bite the Goodison natives with just 48.
Goal ratio the decisive factor as Toffees finish bottom of the pack
No side scored fewer goals in the 1950/51 First Division season than Everton and Burnley, who finished with 48. Chelsea struck 53, while Sheffield Wednesday fashioned 64 – with goals conceded hurting the Owls’ survival aspirations, having allowed 83 to Chelsea’s 65.
It was simply goals scored and conceded that determined which two of the 22 clubs were relegated 71-years ago. Chelsea, Sheffield Wednesday and last-placed Everton all won 12, drew eight and lost 22 games. None of the other 19 teams lost as many of their matches.
Everton could still find themselves losing more games than any other team this term, too. The Toffees have been beaten on 19 occasions so far, to eight wins and five draws. Only Watford (23) and basement-boys Norwich City (22) have lost more of their games to date.
Three of the Merseysiders’ defeats have additionally come over their last five games, with West Ham, Burnley and Liverpool winning. Relegation is also a distinct possibility, with the Goodison outfit only winning three of 12 matches under Lampard since firing Rafa Benitez.
Those 12 fixtures have also seen Everton ship 20 goals to 10 scored, reaching 55 and 34 all term. Only Norwich (69), Leeds (68), Watford (67) and Southampton (56) have let in more, while Norwich (22), Burnley (29), Watford, Brighton (31) and Wolves (33) have scored fewer.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
