‘Hated Playing There’; Dimitar Berbatov Makes Everton Admission

Former Premier League forward Dimitar Berbatov has made an admission about playing against Everton.

Speaking via TNT Sport, the Bulgarian revealed that he hated playing against the Blues, specifically at Goodison Park.

He said: “Scariest ground – Everton back in the days. Big guys in the back, kicking you all day long, fans close to the pitch and screaming at you.

“Hated playing there, but loved scoring there.”

The atmosphere could be an incredibly hostile one at Goodison Park. It is a feature of our former home yet to be replicated.

Indeed, much has been made about the atmosphere at Hill Dickinson, which has only got going in fits and starts.

I do think it will come, and the fans are still in close proximity to the pitch, which means that hostility can be replicated.

Both Oliver Glasner and Thomas Frank recently praised the crowd after games against Palace and Spurs.

However, with fans in unfamiliar surroundings, we’re yet to see some of the atmosphere’s Goodison witnessed.

HILL DICKINSON NEEDS A MOMENT TO IGNITE ATMOSPHERE

It will take a spark to get going. Goodison always responded well to an unjust decision from the referee. 

Indeed, the atmosphere improved during the Spurs match once Jake O’Brien’’s equaliser was ruled out.

It was often the difference between winning and losing, especially during recent relegation-threatened seasons.

Berbatov is not the first player to suggest Goodison Park was an intimidating stadium, though he could be the last.

However, we must reach a point where players hate visiting Hill Dickinson. We need to replicate that hostility and make it as difficult as possible to get a result.

With just one competitive defeat at the new ground, we’re off to a decent start. It’s the best ground in the country; let’s make it the most difficult to play in.