Chelsea spent more than £430m on new recruits this summer, the biggest outlay in a transfer window in Premier League history, yet Mauricio Pochettino’s response to a seventh league defeat of the season was to suggest they must spend again in January. What they need is character, resilience and fight. What they need are the qualities Sean Dyche has ingrained in Everton.
It is 23 days since Everton were docked 10 points for a breach of Premier League profit and sustainability rules. They have clawed back nine points already with a hat-trick of league wins – the club’s first since the days of Carlo Ancelotti in March 2021 – with Chelsea the latest to succumb to Dyche’s defiant team. The expensively assembled visitors dominated possession at Goodison Park but were again found wanting not merely in front of goal but in terms of character.
