To Lose, or Not to Lose?

Article by e-Everton Correspondent Kenneth Jarvis

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Everton fans are divided. This time it is not Kirby and the new stadium, it's not whether Bill Kenwright is an incompetent chairman, it's not your view on the Blue Union and it's not about whether you think David Moyes has taken us as far as he could. It all seems to be based on one simple question: 'How much do you hate Liverpool Football Club?'

If Manchester City win their remaining three games, they will win the league. Due to the fact that one of these games are against Liverpool's bitter rivals, us, this has raised another story in this crazy Premier League season of a club that may not have it in their hearts to try and win against the the team they have so dominated at home in recent years.

Arsenal's victory on Monday night effectively means now that the dream of 4th place is gone and Everton fans will have to be satisfied with a great season rather than an miraculous one. Add this to the fact that Everton need just 1 point from their last two games to secure European football (If Manchester United win their last 3) and it's pretty much season over as far as Everton are concerned. A win at Hull means 5th place due to the goal difference with Spurs, regardless of Saturday.

Of course this is all getting to the question: 'Do you want Everton to lose on Saturday?' Getting so much as a point will most likely give Liverpool the title due to their two remaining games being against sides that have achieved their season aims and are coasting to the end of the season (Crystal Palace and Newcastle).

If Everton had got 4 points from Crystal Palace and Southampton then this question would be a non-starter. I said many weeks ago in anticipation of this game that if Everton finished 4th then I would not care where anyone else finished in the league. Everton aren't going to finish 4th and a Europa League place could be guaranteed before we even kick off.

I feel I'm beating around the bush so to speak because the reality is that it is not a question that I want to answer and it's not a question I feel any Everton fan should be happy about answering. If you want Everton to win whole heatedly then that's fine but those that want us to win don't seem to remember, or are able to relate, to how completely insufferable Liverpool fans would be.

The open top bus parades. The Suarez worship. Gerrard being called the greatest Premier League player ever. All of the Kopite pundits. The banners. Them being called champions for 12 months.

This all from a club that have mocked us, sometimes so gracelessly and cruelly, that it's been unforgivable. A club that potentially denied us greatness, a club that taunted us because of it. A club that would be deliriously happy if we got a point on Saturday.

If Manchester City win on Saturday. They'd need to win home games against Aston Villa and West Ham United to win the league.

So back to the question: Do you want Everton to lose on Saturday? And again I don't want to answer it, I don't want to say it out loud, I don't want to think about it. But I think you can read between the lines. If you offered It to me now: Everton to finish 5th and Liverpool to finish 2nd, I'd bite you hand off . . . And I can only think of one result on Saturday than can make that happen . . .

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