HAS the Everton bubble burst?

I sat and watched their defeat to Reading on Saturday while in the Football Focus studios, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team make so many chances in a first half and not go on to win.

Everton’s failure to score a second goal cost them and, the longer it went on, the more you had the sneaky suspicion that Reading would win.

It was just mad. Really, really mad.

And that’s what makes me say it’s far too early to suggest Everton are on the slippery slope. The bubble has not burst.

Everton will play many games and not make the same amount of chances and still win.

David Moyes was fuming afterwards, but it’s always worse when you lose a game you should have won.

It’ll be a worry that Everton are conceding a lot of goals this season, and you are always going to struggle if you are leaking two in most games as Moyes’s side have done in six of their last 10 Premier League outings.

I wonder if Everton have had to sacrifice a little bit of defensive stability to give themselves that extra flair.

For all of that, the bottom line is where you are in the league. And Everton would no doubt accept competing for the Champions League qualification places at this stage of the season.