Everton received a much-needed boost as Sean Dyche led his new side to victory against Arsenal in his first game in charge.
All four stands at Goodison Park were united in approval of the performance after the club’s first competitive win since October - one that also ended a run of four defeats at home. It meant February began with hope after a damaging post-Christmas slump that saw the Blues drop into the relegation zone, Frank Lampard lose his job, and Everton emerge from a vital transfer window weaker than when it started.
The win over Arsenal offered reassurance that Everton’s Premier League fate may lie in its own hands. Yet while Dyche may have inspired a sense of optimism, there is a belief among some that the problems that have emerged over recent weeks run too deep for results to completely solve. Before the match a protest called for boardroom changes while, during the 90 minutes that followed, the seats of those on the board remained empty. With the club battling relegation on the pitch, and the relationship between those at the top and supporters having broken down off it, the key question is this: What happens next?
