McNulty’s pre-season prediction: 16th
Manager Sean Dyche had to contend with two separate deductions eventually totalling eight points for breaches of financial regulations, played out against the backdrop of a wafer-thin transfer budget and absentee owner Farhad Moshiri trying to sell the club to 777 Partners.
With this context, Dyche deserves great credit for keeping Everton up with three games to spare – add on the deducted points and you are talking comfortably mid-table – although the takeover looks increasingly dead in the water and director of football Kevin Thelwell has warned players will have to be sold.
One of those is likely to be outstanding young central defender Jarrad Branthwaite, while Belgium midfielder Amadou Onana also has admirers.
Among it all, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been outstanding once more, with the 2-0 home win over Liverpool the season highlight.
