‘Wouldn’t be surprised’: Chris Sutton suggests he could see Everton man leaving soon

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Chris Sutton has admitted to the Daily Mail that he would not be surprised to see Rafa Benitez become the next Premier League boss to leave as Everton continue to struggle.

The Toffees are currently on a torrid run. They have taken two points from their last seven fixtures. And their only two victories since the start of September have come against teams currently in the bottom three.

The latest blow for the Toffees came on Sunday as they were beaten 1-0 by Brentford. The result has certainly added to the pressure on Benitez’s shoulders.

And unfortunately for the Spaniard, the next game on the fixture list sees Everton host Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby.

Benitez was always facing an uphill battle trying to win supporters over given his connections to the Reds.

And while he made a promising start to the campaign, any optimism appears to have evaporated entirely.

Sutton was answering the question whether Benitez could be the next to leave his post in the Premier League. And he suggested that defeat on Wednesday may leave the writing on the wall.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Would you? Everton have got Liverpool next and if that game goes as expected at Goodison Park, then Benitez will not be able to escape the fans’ fury,” he told the Daily Mail.

“Not like on Sunday when he walked down the tunnel at the Brentford Community Stadium instead of facing the music in front of the away end. It’s the supporters who get managers out.”

There is an upside for Benitez as Everton prepare to face Liverpool

Admittedly, Everton go into the derby as massive underdogs. Liverpool have been absolutely lethal this season. And many will be expecting their run to continue in midweek.

But there is a potential upside for Benitez. There is arguably not one single win that could do a better job of alleviating the pressure than one against Liverpool.

It certainly has the potential to be a defining moment in Benitez’s tenure at Goodison Park whatever happens.