Everton boss Sean Dyche has played down the importance of Everton playing before Leeds United, Nottingham Forest Leicester City this weekend. The Toffees could in theory secure their Premier League status for next season if both aforementioned sides fail to win their respective games.
Everton take on Wolves on Saturday before Forest host Arsenal at the City Ground. Leeds take on West Ham United in the early kick-off on Sunday, with Leicester City taking on Newcastle at St. James' Park on Monday.
Dyche told the Liverpool Echo: “It’s the way the fixtures are thrown about by the Premier League, that’s the way it goes with Sky and the TV. It’s fair to say, I think there’s a balance view that everyone in the Premier League wants the money that comes in from the TV rights, therefore if they change the schedule, that’s the way it goes, you just have to go with it, that’s it.
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"You can look at it either way, I’ve been on either side of it. Last club, this club, whether you feel the game is on the right day or wrong day, that’s just the way it goes, the schedule is what it is, you have to deal with it.
“I didn’t dismiss it, I was just suggesting that the format is what it is. The powers that be decide it, you have to play regardless of what the challenge is.
“I’ve always looked at it that way from my point of view so therefore I can’t change the goal-posts from someone else’s point of view. From my point of view, whenever the game is, it’s about taking it on.
“I think we’ve just stayed very clear-minded trying to take away the layers of noise around our group to make sure we’re focused on the game. That’s all we look to do, others can do however they wish.”
Dyche added that it was the final league table that matters. He said: “I don’t stare at the league. I stare at the performances, I stare at the group, I stare at the prep, I stare at the strategy, I stare at all these things, the tactics, these are the things I’m obsessing with.
“It’s not about the league table at this stage, I’ve said it for weeks, the one at the end of the season is the most important. Of course we all debate it and look at it during a season, of course we do, but the one at the end of the season, that’s the most important, the one we’re looking to be above the line on.”
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