Everton need backbone to turn crisis around and avoid relegation battle

David Unsworth stresses the significance of 18th-placed Everton's match against Watford after their Europa League exit.When Everton began preparing for the new season amid a growing wave of optimism after £150 million of summer investment and the return of European football, not even the most pessimistic supporter could have forecast this situation.

But having lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, a 3-0 defeat at Lyon on Thursday saw Everton eliminated from the Europa League with two, now meaningless, group games still to play. Alongside two cup exits in as many weeks, Everton also occupy a place in the Premier League relegation zone.

Talk of relegation battles may be premature, yet there…