Dyche faces daunting start with Everton

New Everton boss Sean Dyche could hardly have chosen a bigger challenge than answering the ailing Merseyside club’s emergency call as he resumes his managerial career with a side seemingly spiralling towards the second tier of English football.

The 51-year-old Dyche was used to battling the odds at unfashionable Burnley, gaining a reputation as an astute tactician and motivator who squeezed every ounce of potential out of his squad during six full topflight seasons.

It was presumably why he was chosen by Everton, hopefully as a saviour from relegation or a manager capable of leading them back up if the worst should happen and they fall out of the Premier League for the first time.

Dyche, Everton’s fifth manager in five years, begins what some call mission impossible on Saturday and it could hardly be a more challenging start with leaders Arsenal at Goodison Park for a lunchtime kickoff.

With nine defeats and one win from their past 12 league games under former manager Frank Lampard and escalating discontent with the club’s ownership, only the most wildly optimistic fan will believe Everton can inflict only a second league defeat of the season on the side from north London.