Roy Keane makes major relegation call following Everton defeat against Man City

Roy Keane believes Everton just have to ‘write off’ their home defeat against Manchester City and focus on what lies ahead in their battle to remain in the Premier League.

After being met by a stubborn resistance from the relegation threatened Toffees for the opening half an hour at Goodison Park, a moment of ingenuity broke the deadlock as Ilkay Gundogan’s sublime touch and finish put Pep Guardiola’s men in front eight minutes before half-time.

Erling Haaland doubled the lead with a well-taken header just moments later before Gundogan doubled his tally and took his side out of sight with a fine free-kick six minutes into the second-half. The result means remain just one point and one place outside of the bottom three and they will now watch on as fellow relegation candidates Leicester City prepare to host Liverpool on Monday night.

Assessing the relegation battle and the defeat at Goodison Park, Keane said: “The last couple of games, it’s been easier away from home for Everton, obviously at Brighton and Leicester, playing on the counter-attack.

“But at home, there is more emotion involved, there’s more tension, more nerves, and when the first goal goes in you think it’s a long way back for Everton. Sean Dyche will be disappointed but they’ll write it off, they know they’ve got the big games coming next week.

“I still think they have the couple of points they need but they have to write that one off. Especially when they scored the third goal so early in the second-half, it was damage limitation, you have to take your medicine and move on to the next game.”

Everton are back in action next Saturday afternoon when they visit Wolverhampton Wanderers before they bring down the curtain on the season with a home game against Bournemouth eight days later.