Everton tore into the Premier League's 'big six' in a statement released on Tuesday morning.

Local rivals Liverpool, along with Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal have agreed in principle to join a European Super League, for which they would always qualify automatically.

The Blues have accused them of 'tarnishing the reputation of our league and game', 'disrespecting' every other Premier League club and 'betraying' the majority of football supporters in the country.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville led the backlash when reports of the agreement first emerged on Sunday.

Neville dubbed the clubs a 'disgrace' and declared that they had committed a 'criminal act against football fans'.

And the United legend was pleased by the furious response from Goodison Park.

"Go on Everton," he wrote on Twitter in reaction to a section of the statement which called for the plans to be immediately scrapped and warned the clubs to 'remember the privileged position they hold'.

Transfer Tavern verdict

You suspect that one of the motives behind the plan devised by the 'big six' is their fear of clubs like Everton.

Managed by Carlo Ancelotti and backed by Farhad Moshiri, the Blues are emerging as a force in the English game once again.

Win their game in hand, and they would only be three points off the Champions League qualifying places.

Based on this campaign, Everton, along with the likes of Aston Villa, West Ham, Leicester and Leeds are a long-term threat to the six's participation in European competition.

In other news, Everton have been tipped to pursue this striker from one of the Super League clubs.