Everton boss Roberto Martinez reckons the fear factor of the top four in the Premier League has gone
The Everton manager said the fluctuating results of top flight teams was not down to inconsistency but because the sides had shrugged off the “inferiority complex” that used to prevail.
Leicester City’s rise to the summit of the Premier League has been the story of the season, but West Ham’s emergence as Champions League contenders represents another refreshing development.
Swansea’s win at Arsenal on Wednesday saw another twist in a season of unpredictability, but Martinez said it was good for English football.
“I don’t think should call it inconsistencies in the Premier League,” said Martinez. “We should call it the nature of this season’s competition.
“The margins are so small, the games are full of intensity, full of intent. There is a real psychological belief when any team goes onto a pitch that you can win a football game. I haven’t seen that for a long, long time.
“Previously when you used to play against a so called top four team maybe you were going into the game with bit of an inferiority complex. That doesn’t happen anymore.
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“Every team that gets on the football pitch has their own way and strength. There is a strong belief this season that if you play well it doesn’t matter who you are playing against, you have an opportunity to get the three points.
“That is very positive for the Premier League. We should not see that as a negative.”
Everton host West Ham on Saturday with Martinez refusing to rule out a late push for the European spot.
“What it shows is everything is to play for,” he said. “If you can find a run of results from now to the end of the season and you can accumulate a big amount of points anything is open. Nothing is decided.”