Mikel Arteta is confident Sean Dyche can be a success at Everton after taking on the Blues with a managerial record that 'speaks for itself'.
Instrumental in Burnley consistently punching above their weight in the Premier League, Dyche's greatest achievement arrived in the 2017/18 season after guiding the Clarets to an astonishing seventh-placed finish.
The new Blues boss has now taken on, arguably, his biggest challenge yet as he looks to steer Everton to top flight safety. With the odds stacked against him to complete this turnaround, Dyche will be forced to bring the best out of the current crop at the club after being denied any new signings.
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Arsenal are up next for the 19th-placed club, representing the toughest start possible for Frank Lampard's successor. Sitting five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand, the Gunners are on course for a season to remember.
Firm favourites to secure all three points on Saturday afternoon, Arteta has insisted previous trips to Goodison Park should remind his side of the task in hand. "We have the experience in the last few years about how tough it has been, and we didn’t get the results that we wanted," said the former Blues midfielder. "When there is a new manager the environment will change, and a lot of things change during the week, so it’s going to be a really tough test.
"They have tried to accommodate the right character for the circumstance the club is in," continued the Spaniard on Dyche's appointment. "What Sean and the coaching staff did at Burnley speaks for itself. With the limited resources they had, they got incredible results very consistently in this very tough league. I like the character a lot, the presence and the clarity he brings to his team. Hopefully after tomorrow, he will be a great fit for Everton."
A potential blow that could hamper the Londoners' chances of victory tomorrow is the injury status of key midfielder Thomas Partey, who sustained a rib injury during Arsenal's FA Cup defeat by Manchester City last Friday and could be forced to sit out Saturday's showdown.
Arteta said: "Let’s see - that one is still a doubt. Let’s see today how he comes in and if he’s able to train with the team or not. We will make a decision on that. He’s not ruled out and it’s nothing very significant but it was significant enough to get him out of the [Manchester City] game, which for Thomas is unusual. Hopefully he will be fine."
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