LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 24: Tyrique George of Everton reacts during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Tyrique George, one of the few Everton players to emerge with any credit, reacts during the Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur(Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
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On a day when one of London heavyweights was going to drop out of the Premier League, Everton never looked like being king makers in this relegation shoot-out in the capital.
Instead of Spurs looking over their shoulders, it was the Blues who were left grateful for West Ham United’s win in vain as it spared them the ignominy of finishing lower than last season and being potentially leapfrogged on the final day by a Leeds United side who had spent much of the campaign in the survival dogfight themselves.
David Moyes’ men had looked well-placed for Europe when they thrashed Chelsea 3-0 back in March. But while the Stamford Bridge outfit will also miss out on continental competition themselves after their 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light, in truth it was two lacklustre displays against a Sunderland side who will be dusting their passports out that defined the disappointments of this term for Everton.
While the FA Cup penalty shoot-out debacle came at a time when the Blues were down to the bare bones, they really should have stopped the rot to end their historic inaugural season at Hill Dickinson Stadium on a high when the Black Cats visited a week ago.
Instead, the momentum shifted and it’s the newly-promoted outfit who have finished with a flourish for a European place up for grabs because of under-par years for the likes of Spurs, Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Loyal but long-suffering Evertonians are understandably fuming over how these last couple of months have gone and while there was not the fight for survival of recent seasons, everyone at the club must take a long, hard look at themselves over why things fizzled out so badly.
Christopher Beesley
Christopher Beesley