Everton host Arsenal
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 today and it could hardly be a more challenging start with leaders Arsenal at Goodison Park for a lunchtime kick-off.
With nine defeats and one win from their last 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 Arsenal.
To add another layer of gloom over the blue half of Merseyside, a transfer window that saw record spending in the Premier League completely passed Everton by.
While relegation rivals like Bournemouth (£50 million) ($61,65 million), Leeds United (36 million) and Southampton (56 million) beefed up their squads with new signings, Everton spent zero despite selling young winger Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United for a reported £40 million pounds.
It means Dyche will have to make do and mend with a squad that look ill-equipped for a survival battle.
“It's tough times at the moment but we want to bring back a good feeling,” Dyche, whose new team are second-bottom with 15 points from 20 games - above Southampton on goal difference and two points off the safety zone.
“Anyone can take the wheel of a ship in calm waters, but we are not in calm waters. What I will say is we will put out a team that will fight and wear the badge with pride,” he added.
The only crumb of comfort for Everton is that they have won three of their last four Premier League games against Arsenal, albeit a very different Gunners side to this season's model.
Arsenal, under former Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta, are favourites to win their first league title since the 2003-04 season and can open an eight-point gap over Manchester City if they win on Saturday.