Dyche replaces Lampard at struggling Everton

Sean Dyche is the manager Everton have turned to as they aim to stave off relegation from the Premier League.

Everton sacked Frank Lampard last Monday following a 2-0 defeat at West Ham – the Toffees’ eighth defeat in the space of nine games.

The last time Everton won a competitive match was on October 22 last year, and they find themselves in 19th place, level on points with Southampton, who are bottom only due to goal difference.

Dyche was reportedly the Merseyside club’s second choice, with owner Farhad Moshiri wanting to appoint former Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa, who held talks with the club’s hierarchy in London on Thursday.

However, Bielsa is said to have been hesitant to join Everton in mid-season, and reports have claimed the Argentine instead suggested he would take over the club’s under-21s side, with a view to managing the first team following the end of the campaign.

Welcome to Everton Football Club, Sean Dyche! pic.twitter.com/B8Z7WlIXb9

— Everton (@Everton) January 30, 2023

With survival Everton’s priority, Dyche has been handed the job on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

Speaking to the club’s media, Dyche said: “It’s an honour to become Everton manager. My staff and I are ready and eager to help get this great club back on track.

“I know about Everton’s passionate fanbase and how precious this club is to them. We’re ready to work and ready to give them what they want.

“That starts with sweat on the shirt, effort and getting back to some of the basic principles of what Everton Football Club has stood for for a long time… There is quality in this squad. But we have to make them shine. That’s the job of me and my staff.”

Dyche was sacked by Burnley in April last year, after 10 years in charge of the Clarets.

His last win at Burnley came against Lampard’s Everton, and although his temporary replacement Michael Jackson had a good start, taking 10 points from a possible 12, he was unable to keep the Clarets in the division.

Everton stayed up thanks to a 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace but have won just three top-flight games this campaign, having struggled for goals following Richarlison’s move to Tottenham and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury issues.

Dyche is reuniting with two of his Burnley regulars in the form of James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil, while he should have funds to spend in the final days of the January transfer window following the sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United in a deal reportedly worth up to £45million.

The former Watford manager gained promotion with Burnley in 2014, and though they went straight back down, he took them back up to the top tier in 2016.

He established Burnley as steady competitors for the best part of six years, even qualifying for Europe in the 2017-18 campaign, and now will be tasked with maintaining Everton’s long top-flight status.

Dyche took charge of 258 Premier League games at Burnley, winning 72 (27.9 per cent) and averaging 1.1 points per game.

His first game at the helm of Everton will come at home against league leaders Arsenal on February 4, with a Merseyside derby at Anfield following nine days later.