The Toffees are currently struggling in the drop zone and have just six games remaining this term to avoid relegation from the top flight for the first time since the 1950/51 season.
Everton boast a game in hand on 17th placed Burnley, but they have registered back-to-back wins in the league despite sacking Sean Dyche, which has cast further doubt on the Toffees’ survival hopes.
However, former top-flight star Rush still believes Everton can maintain their Premier League status this season, provided they pick up at least seven points from their three remaining home games of the campaign against Chelsea, Brentford and Crystal Palace.
Rush stressed that all three of Everton’s remaining opponents at Goodison Park have very little to play for in the top flight and as such could make getting points a bit easier for the Toffees, while the away clash against fellow strugglers Watford could be another game that they see as a winnable fixture.
“The one thing you can’t do in a relegation battle is feel sorry for yourselves and Everton are in danger of slipping down that path because they’re not used to being in a survival dogfight”, Rush wrote in his Gambling.com column.
“The league table doesn’t lie, but I still think they’ll stay up.
“They’ve got home games against Chelsea, Brentford and Palace – all of whom have little to play for in the league – and if they can get seven points from nine at Goodison then I think that’ll get them over the line.
“Watford away is another game they’ll have ear-marked as winnable, so there’s still hope for Everton, but they’ve got to make those home games count.”
Everton are gearing up to host boss Frank Lampard’s former team Chelsea on Sunday in the league and they will be determined to get a positive result as the threat of relegation looms large.
