Sean Dyche has said he had no illusions about the magnitude of the task at Everton and would have taken a final-day decider to save the club’s Premier League status when replacing Frank Lampard in January.
Dyche’s team must beat Bournemouth at Goodison Park on Sunday to guarantee survival and avoid a relegation that could place the club’s future in financial jeopardy. Everton were second from bottom with 15 points from 20 games when Dyche arrived, although only three points off 14th place. They have collected 18 points from 17 Premier League games since, improving their points-per-game ratio from 0.75 under Lampard to 1.06 under Dyche, and the manager admits he would have signed up for the pressure – and potential reward – of Sunday when taking the job.
