Everton boss David Moyes believes his team, even this early in the campaign, are involved in a relegation battle. The Merseysiders are bottom of the Barclays Premier League after failing to win any of their opening six games.
The Scot said: "If you are in the bottom three you are in a relegation battle, whether it is after two games of the season or 32.
"It is still the same. If you are in the bottom three you have got to get out of it.
"It is a position - I don't know if you can call it false - and it is there staring us in the face.
"You take it and try to move away from it."
Aside from a 1-0 loss to Newcastle a fortnight ago, Moyes has been happy with performances.
The Toffees have scored just four times in the league - three in one game against Manchester United - with none coming from out-and-out strikers.
Moyes said: "Goals always change games. If you score and you win people don't talk about performance.
"What we have not done is score the goals to change the games.
"There have been one or two mistakes which have led to the opposition winning.
"We need to score a few more goals and keep a few more clean sheets.
"Teams can score very good goals against you and there is nothing you can do about that, but certainly the goals against Wolves and Blackburn were self-inflicted."
Everton have also suffered the embarrassment of being knocked out of the Carling Cup by League OneBrentford, despite fielding a strong team, this season.
Moyes cannot fathom why things are things are not happening for his team.
He added: "I can't see an awful lot we are doing wrong.
"Anyone who follows stats - not that stats are a great thing - will see we have had more of the ball, we pass the ball more than anyone else, we have had the second most crosses in the Premier League and the most shots on target.
"But they don't count for anything.
"The only stats that count are the ones that say you win, but if you look at all the things there is not a lot wrong.
"Most of the things are in our favour. I can't really be that critical.
"I'm going through it with a fine-tooth comb and I'm quoting stats when I'm not really interested in stats.
"I have to find the way of getting results and that is what I am trying to do."
