Football
Exclusive: Ex-Toffees Forward Yakubu Plays Down Everton Relegation Talk
Former Everton striker Yakubu Ayegbeni remains confident that Everton will avoid relegation despite a poor start to the 2024-25 Premier League season, backing the team to recover soon.
Image Credits: Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
FIFA legend Yakubu Ayegbeni remains confident that Everton will avoid relegation despite their poor start to the Premier League season.
The Toffees have had a disappointing start to the 2024-25 campaign, losing all four of their matches, including a recent 3-2 away defeat to Aston Villa.
They have conceded 13 goals so far, leaving them at the bottom of the English topflight log.
Amid the club's fragile financial situation, many have predicted relegation for Everton.
However, the ‘Yak’ who represented Everton between 2007 to 2011, remains confident that his former team will bounce back and reverse their fortunes.
“We are not sinking; we are just struggling. We are in a tight position now, we have played three matches and have all lost all, but I think they will bounce back,” Yakubu told SportsBoom.com.
“The [2024-25 Premier League] season is still young and once they get the first win, they will be fine.”
“The problem is we are not scoring goals and that is the thing. We need to score goals and we need to win games because it is going to be very difficult in December.”
Hopefully, we can win game and keep clean sheets as well and with that, we will be fine. We can’t start thinking about relegation now and it would be unfair to write us off this so early
Yakubu Ayegbeni
‘The Yak’ feels sorry for under pressure Dyche
On January 30, 2023, Englishman Sean Dyche was named Everton's manager, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract to replace Frank Lampard.
Despite a strong start, highlighted by a stunning 1-0 win over league leaders Arsenal, results under 53-year-old Sean Dyche have been mixed.
Nevertheless, he successfully prevented the Toffees from being relegated, even as the team overcame a six-point deduction for breaching Fair Play Regulations (FFP).
As Dyche faces increasing pressure and rumors swirl about David Moyes making a surprising return to Everton, Ayegbeni has expressed sympathy for the former Burnley boss, noting that managers often end up bearing the brunt of poor results.
“When the goals are not scoring, there is pressure on the strikers. It is the same with the manager, when they are not winning, the pressure is on them,” he continued.
“When you think about football now, it’s quite different because there is a whole lot of pressure on managers as they don’t get enough time like they use to get before.”
“Hopefully, we can score goals and can win games, so that the pressure will be less on the manager.”
Sadly, the players will never leave for poor results, it is the coaches who gets sacked. To be fair, Sean Dyche has been doing very well and I hope we can get it sorted out
Yakubu Ayegbeni
Manchester City to continue Premier League dominance
Shifting focus from Everton's relegation struggles, former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough striker Yakubu has backed Pep Guardiola's Manchester City to win the 2024-25 Premier League title.
The Citizens triumphed over Arsenal last season to claim the title, becoming the first team in history to win the competition four consecutive times.
Guardiola’s side has made a perfect start to the season, leading the table with nine points from three games. According to the former Nigeria international, there’s no stopping the Etihad Stadium giants, who possess exceptional depth and quality.
Ayegbeni added: “When you look at the way Pep Guardiola and his team plays, they are one of the best teams in Europe.”
“Nobody expected them to win four Premier League titles in a row because it had never been done before. Now, many might doubt their chances of making it five straight, but they can still achieve it—they have the players and the experience to do so.”
“That aside, you have Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool – who are also contenders. However, I still think Manchester City will win the league again.”
Shina Oludare is a notable Nigerian sports journalist and writer recognized for his extensive coverage of African sports. He has made significant contributions to the field through his work with reputable media outlets such as Goal.com and Soccernet. Known for his insightful analysis and comprehensive reporting, Oludare covers a wide range of topics within African football, including domestic leagues, national teams, and emerging talents. His work includes detailed player profiles, match previews and reviews, and transfer news, providing valuable insights into the intricacies of the sport on the continent.