‘Incredible’ – Campbell makes new Everton-Premier League accusation live on air:

Had Everton not received their 10-point deduction for breaches of the league’s profit and sustainability rules, they would be level on points with ninth-placed Brighton and Campbell has accused the Premier League of deliberately ending the Toffees’ European hopes.

Speaking on talkSPORT (18 December, 7:43) he said: “It surprised me, I’ll tell you what I’ve realised. The Premier League don’t want Everton to go to Europe, because if they had the ten points they’d be seventh or eighth.

“The club have galvanised themselves incredibly well and fair play to Sean Dyche, his players and the fans. All the old beefs and grudges have been put aside, everybody has got together and four points out of four, wow. Incredible.”

The point deduction this season has changed the entire complexion of Everton’s campaign as had the Toffees avoided such a penalty they would have genuinely been in the early conversation for a place in European football next season.

Dyche has managed to turn around the Toffees’ fortunes at Goodison Park almost single-handedly since arriving on Merseyside and the Everton boss arguably hasn’t received the praise that he deserves for the remarkable job that he has done.

Before a ball had been kicked this season, most pundits and journalists alike had written Everton off as relegation fodder once again and that prediction was only increased after the point deduction, but Dyche has made them a force to be reckoned with.

Campbell’s suggestion that the point deduction was some part of a wider conspiracy to prevent Everton from qualifying for European football was completely tongue in cheek, but it is frustrating that it has arguably put an early end to what could have been an incredibly exciting season for the Toffees.

Hopefully, this recent excellent form will continue for a while longer yet and Everton can continue to climb up the table.