Gazza is Smith's best hope

Kevin Campbell has seen it all before with Everton, as they look over their shoulders at another relegation situation that won't go away.

After goals by Matt Holland and Alun Armstrong had seen Ipswich safely home against 10 men, Campbell admitted: 'The pot is boiling beneath us and we have to get out of it before we are scorched.' So Saturday's game against Newcastle at Goodison, where Everton have under-performed this season, becomes yet another one they must win.

By then Paul Gascoigne may have been given the go-ahead to start full training after his rehabilitation from a hernia operation. What Everton need is his inspiration to go with the hard work they produce and the commitment that is still evident. Campbell said: 'We are going to be involved in a dogfight but our situation is not a matter of living in hope. All of us know it's going to be a battle to survive.

'We miss Gazza's quality and when we have our best player available, it will be a case of picking up points where we can away but doing something about that home form. Three points are now essential next week.' Campbell scored nine goals in eight starts to keep Everton up the season before last and was top scorer last season with 12.

So far he is again their most prolific marksman with seven goals despite being out following a summer knee operation.

It was not much of a 53rd birthday for Walter Smith, for Everton manufactured few chances and, after Alex Nyarko was sent off, the last 20 minutes was a survival battle they lost. Victory put Ipswich back in the frame for European football and brought an impressive home debut for Mark Burchill, the Scot on loan until the end of the season.

He had only two training sessions with his new team-mates on Friday but responded with the kind of pace that was a constant threat to Everton and two pinpoint left-footed crosses that set up the goals.