It has been a long time since Everton were not involved in England's top-flight league, and after barely escaping the drop in 2021/22, the Toffees are once again in the relegation mix and the pressure is feeling greater with every weekend spent in the relegation battle.
A 5-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion boosted their chances, as did a 1-1 draw against Wolves on May 20 with Yerry Mina scoring a 99th minute equaliser... but will it be enough to keep them up?
Manager Sean Dyche, who replaced Frank Lampard on January 30, now leads the Toffees with just one match left to play against Bournemouth (home).
Will one of the clubs synonymous with the top division of English football be in the second tier next season? Here's the latest on Everton's plight.
MORE: Updated Premier League table
Premier League table: The bottom four
*Standings correct as of May 28, 2023
| Pos | Team | Points | Matches Played | Goals Scored | Goal Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | Everton | 33 | 37 | 33 | -24 |
| 18. | Leicester City | 31 | 37 | 49 | -18 |
| 19. | Leeds United | 31 | 37 | 47 | -27 |
| 20. | Southampton - R | 24 | 37 | 32 | -37 |
* = The bottom three teams are relegated to the second-tier Championship.
When were Everton last relegated?
Everton last suffered relegation in 1950-51, but the Toffees jumped back up a few years later, with a second-place finish in the 1953-54 Second Division earning them promotion to the top flight once again.
That makes Everton the second-longest tenured team in the English top flight, with only Arsenal maintaining its top-flight status longer. Arsenal have been a top-tier club in every season since the 1919-20 campaign.
Everton have been a top-flight club longer than Liverpool (since 1962-63), Manchester United (1975-76), Tottenham (1978-79), and Chelsea (1989-90).
How many times have Everton been relegated?
Everton have been relegated from the English top flight on two occasions, and have never played in a league lower than the second division in the club's history.
Since the club's inception in 1887, its only relegations came in 1929-30 and 1950-51.
After each drop, Everton managed to return to the top flight quickly, going straight back up in 1930-31 after winning the Second Division title. Following the next drop in 1951, it took three seasons to secure a return to the First Division in 1953-54.
Except for those four campaigns spent outside the top tier of English football, Everton have been in the top flight in every other season throughout the club's history.
MORE: Updated top scorers table
Will Everton be relegated?
Everton have one game left to save their Premier League position in the 2022/23 run-in with that match coming against Bournemouth.
Projections by FiveThirtyEight place Everton as the third most likely team to be relegated and join basement boys (and already demoted) Southampton.
Leeds have one match left against Tottenham while Leicester face West Ham on the final day.
If there were no changes from the current table, Leicester and Leeds United would go down with Saints and Everton would survive by the skin of their teeth.
MORE: What Everton must do to stay up
Everton remaining match schedule
| Match | Date | Opponent | Result | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | April 1 | vs. Tottenham | 1-1 D | 16th |
| 30 | April 8 | @ Man United | 2-0 L | 17th |
| 31 | April 15 | vs. Fulham | 1-3 L | 17th |
| 32 | April 22 | @ Crystal Palace | 0-0 D | 18th |
| 33 | April 25 | vs. Newcastle | 1-4 L | 19th |
| 34 | April 29 | @ Leicester | 1-1 D | 19th |
| 35 | May 6 | @ Brighton | 5-1 W | 17th |
| 36 | May 14 | vs. Man City | 0-3 L | 17th |
| 37 | May 20 | @ Wolves | 1-1 D | 17th |
| 38 | May 28 | vs. Bournemouth | H |
