Alan Stubbs has told Sky Sports the fixture list is ‘quite depressing’ for Everton and that he is ‘not very hopeful’ Frank Lampard will claim a positive result against Manchester United.
The Red Devils visit Goodison Park on Saturday with a chance to further damage the Blues’ Premier League survival hopes. Lampard has won just two of his nine top-flight fixtures at the helm since replacing Rafa Benitez in January, including one of their last seven matches.
Results alluding the Merseyside outfit has left Everton just one point above the relegation zone after 29 games. They also have a worse goal difference than Burnley in 18th after a 3-2 defeat at Turf Moor on Wednesday. The Toffees led 2-1 at half-time after two penalties.
Away from has proven catastrophic for Everton under both Benitez and Lampard this term. No Premier League side has taken fewer points on the road than the Toffees, who have six from 45 available. They and Burnley are also the only clubs with a single away win to date.
Home form has been comparably better, but not ideal, for the Blues with 19 of a potential 42 points claimed. They sit 12th in the home form table, but could slip to 16th should they lose on Saturday. Manchester United are the fifth-best top-flight side whilst on the road.
Alan Stubbs feels Everton fixture list ‘quite depressing’ amid relegation fight
Former Everton defender Stubbs feels Lampard’s upcoming games are a cause for concern regarding their Premier League status. After facing Manchester United, the Blues will play Leicester (H), Liverpool (A), Chelsea (H), Leicester (A), Watford (A) and Brentford (H).
Their home campaign then ends with the visit of Crystal Palace on May 19 before a trip to Arsenal on the final day on May 22. And Stubbs feels clashes with Brentford and Watford will throw up challenges for Lampard as he doubts where Everton’s points will come from.
“It’s quite depressing as an Everton fan when you look at the fixtures,” Stubbs stated. “It’s difficult to say where the points are going to come from.
“Everton have got a result out of nowhere in the past, and so it wouldn’t surprise me if on Saturday at home [to Manchester United] they were to get a result.
“But I’m not very hopeful. Brentford at home and Watford away is not going to be easy, so you start scratching your head. For Everton to be in this position at this stage of the season is incredible to digest.”
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