Toffees must beat Saints to avoid unwanted record

Moyes' men currently on fewest wins at Goodison

- By CHRIS BEESLEY

EVERTON must beat Southampton in Goodison Park's final fixture not only to say goodbye to the Grand Old Lady in style but also to avoid the ignominy of bowing out from their home of the past 133 years with their worst record at the ground in the club's history.

The Blues' surrender of a two-goal lead against Ipswich Town last Saturday, when efforts by Beto and Dwight McNeil were cancelled out by Julio Enciso and George Hirst wasn't just an embarrassment for David Moyes' men against an already relegated side, their failure to hold on for victory - a record fourth time they've done that this term after being two-nil up - ensures they must beat the rock bottom Saints to avoid tarnishing Goodison's last season with an unwanted tag.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference for the Wolves game on December 4, then manager Sean Dyche - sacked at the halfway point of the campaign with the team on 17 points from 19 matches and just a point above the relegation zone - insisted the historic nature of the 2024/25 season did not help his cause.

He said: "The hardest challenge this year has definitely been the finance goes this way (points down) in the summer, and the expectation went that way (points up).