Five clubs, like Everton, who looked too good to go down

West Ham had the talent and they appeared to have points. Not so. Forest had Brian Clough; Leeds had recently been in the Champions League semi-finals.

With Everton facing the very real threat of relegation, we looked at the fortunes of five other clubs who were thought to be too good to go down. Leeds aside, it bodes well for a swift return if Frank Lampard becomes the first Everton boss in 71 years to be relegated…

Nottingham Forest, 1993

Why did they go down? Brian Clough’s Forest finished eighth the season before and they began the campaign by beating Liverpool in the first ever Premier League match broadcast on Sky Sports. But the scorer of their winner that day, Teddy Sheringham, was sold along with Des Walker and Forest went into into free-fall.

They won two from 21 after the opening day and were rock-bottom by New Year. Forest rallied with five wins in seven but it was a fleeting revival. Clough had run out of answers and before their relegation was confirmed in the second-to-last game of the season at home to Sheffield United, the Forest legend’s retirement was announced, bringing down the curtain on an incredible managerial career at the City Ground in desperately ill-fitting circumstances.

Everton's relegation threat is VERY real!

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