Simon Jordan gives three reasons why Everton will survive - and slams ‘waste of time’ player

Simon Jordan believes that Everton will not be relegated from the Premier League - because Watford, Burnley and Norwich City are so poor.

The Toffees remain just one place and three points above the relegation zone after losing 2-1 at West Ham United on Sunday.

Luckily for Frank Lampard’s side, 18th-placed Watford and 19th-placed Burnley lost to Liverpool and Manchester City respectively.

Meanwhile, basement-side Norwich were held to a goalless draw at Brighton.

And former Crystal Palace chairman Jordan reckons Everton will survive in the top flight ‘by default’ due to the dearth of quality below them.

He told talkSPORT: “I think there are three reasons why they can salvage the situation - Norwich, Burnley and Watford.

“Those are the three reasons because they are poor sides.

“You saw nothing from Burnley besides a laydown and complete acceptance of Manchester City rolling over them.

“Everything Crystal Palace did is a blueprint to be able to negate Man City was everything Burnley didn’t do.

“Watford were slightly better against Liverpool but were a little bit out of sorts so it’s probably not a fair barometer.

“West Ham, for the first 15-20 minutes of the second half, did their level best to make it as easy for Everton could. West Ham seemed to have gone to sleep.

“Everton can take a credible performance because they didn’t get bashed into the next life against Crystal Palace.

“Their last performance in the FA Cup was a scandalous downing of tools and a complete lack of resilience, backbone or ability to react to adversity.

“Yesterday was slightly better because they did react to adversity, they did get back in the game but was only down to a ridiculous error and some very poor defending that compounded the problem.

“With Everton in the situation they are in, there is no evidence Burnley, Watford and Norwich are going to give them any set of conundrums.

“I think Everton will stay up by default because the other teams are so poor.”

‘Waste of time’

Dele Alli was yet again an unused substitute for Everton.

Despite Donny van de Beek picking up an injury in the warm-up, Mason Holgate was instead used as a makeshift centre-midfielder.

Since arriving from Tottenham Hotspur on January transfer deadline day for an initial free transfer, Alli made just six appearances for the Toffees.

Jordan believes Alli, who helped England reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and Spurs the Champions League final a year later, is now a ‘waste of time’.

He added: “There’s no reason for him not to be fit. It may not be a reason not to be match fit or sharp but he’s been there now for two months.

“He’s a complete and utter waste of time. He was a waste of time at Tottenham for two years, he’s been a waste of time being signed for Everton - it was a waste of time signing.

“I hope I’m wrong because the boy was talented. I don’t think he was ever at a level people built him up to, all of a sudden he was the best number 10 in the world and people were making cases about what a wonderful player he was.

“Now he’s been drop-kicked out of Tottenham and the only reason Everton took him was the fee was deferred and paid into the long grass based upon performance.

“Based upon performance, Everton will get a rebate.

“The kid has got to be embarrassed. Is there any level of professional pride? You’ve been booted out of Tottenham two or three managers didn’t want you, you’ve seen [Jose] Mourinho decimate the way you approach training.”