Everton 66/1 to win next two games following Sean Dyche appointment

Relegation-threatened Everton have been priced up at 66/1 to win their next two Premier League games against Arsenal and Liverpool.

It will be a real baptism of fire for Dyche, who was appointed as manager on Monday afternoon, as he has just over a week to prepare his side for the visit of runaway league leaders Arsenal, before the short trip across Stanley Park to face Liverpool.

It’s an unenviable task for the former Burnley boss, especially when you consider his new side’s record at Anfield. 

Everton have managed just one win at the home of their arch rivals this century, and that was the behind-closed-doors clash during Liverpool’s injury-plagued 2020/21 campaign when the Reds started with a central defensive pairing of Jordan Henderson and Ozan Kabak.

bet365’s Steve Freeth said: “Goodison Park has been a graveyard for some high-profile managers in recent times, and Sean Dyche is the latest to try and turn around the fortunes of Everton Football Club.

“The Toffees’ odds for relegation have plummeted with one point from the last seven games and he’s been dealt a stinker of a start with Arsenal at home and Liverpool away, and we’re odds-on about it being one point from the last nine.”

Reports emerged that Marcelo Bielsa, one of the early favourites for the job, felt the squad lacked the sufficient pace to play in the style he’d want, but presumably Dyche feels he can get the side organised sufficiently to stay up, as he managed so successfully for five years at Turf Moor.

He’s already familiar with James Tarkowski and Michael Keane from his time at Burnley, as well as Dwight McNeil.

Getting them organised may not be Dyche’s top priority, however.

While Frank Lampard has struggled to find the balance between defence and attack throughout his managerial career, his Everton side weren’t overly porous at the back this season.

With 28 goals against, they’ve conceded fewer than Brentford, Fulham and Tottenham. 

Everton points from next two games

Going forward is a very different story, though. The Toffees have scored just 15 goals this season; only Wolves have fewer.

Alarmingly, in only two games this season have Everton scored more than once, and they’ve failed to score eight times. 

It’s a side desperately short of goals, and while the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the first nine games of the season didn’t help, he’s only scored once since his return.

And with the transfer window almost shut, Dyche may have to work with the squad he has.

Assuming Dyche is still there next season, he will hope that the club begins to operate more shrewdly in the transfer market. Despite the money spent since Farhad Moshiri joined the club, few transfers can be seen as a success. Perhaps the best arrival on Merseyside in recent years was Richarlison, and he’s no longer at the club.

But all of that is still a long way away. Dyche’s first task is to make sure Everton are still a Premier League club next August.

Liam Williams

• Everton F.C.
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