“No doubts,” an old ally said to Sean Dyche. “Apart from all the doubts,” the Everton manager replied. In its own way, it summed up their escape. Dyche was brought in to be the guarantee against relegation. Everton stayed up with their lowest points tally in the era of three for a win, with their smallest ever goal total, after spending some of the final day in the drop zone, without centre-forwards or full-backs. But they stayed up, and that felt the promise of Dyche. Everton only took 15 points from 20 games under Frank Lampard. In Dyche’s time in charge, Everton earned five more points than Leicester and eight more than Leeds. The least exciting of managerial appointments had a strange kind of efficiency.
Everton have won five games under Dyche, four of them 1-0. But survival has also come from a combination of seemingly freakish incidents: Abdoulaye Doucoure’s first goal from outside the box in five years to beat Bournemouth, a Seamus Coleman winner from a ludicrous angle against Leeds, a spectacular injury-time equaliser by Michael Keane against Tottenham, a 99th-minute leveller from Yerry Mina against Wolves. Perhaps three Everton players have scored the goals of their lives in March, April and May. And then there was the strangest result of the season: a team with 29 goals in their other 37 league games won 5-1 at Brighton.
In a sense, Everton have got lucky: not so much Dyche and the core of his team, whether wholehearted performers like James Tarkowski and Alex Iwobi or Jordan Pickford, much the best goalkeeper in the relegation struggle, or the rejuvenated pair of Dwight McNeil and Doucoure, who proved unexpectedly, crucially prolific in the run-in: but the powerbrokers.
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin May 30, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin May 30, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
England's selection issues in a defining year for Stokes
England’s busiest year of Test cricket finished with a bang. Just not the type they were after.
Jesus scores hat-trick to secure Arsenal comeback
Gabriel Jesus scored a second-half hat-trick as Arsenal staged an impressive fightback to book their place in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 win against Crystal Palace.
Reds survive late surge to reach Carabao Cup semis
After a full and imposing pre-season under his belt, Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott had lofty ambitions this season. Could he crack a regular starting spot? The diminutive left-footed playmaker, signed amid so much promise from Fulham five years ago, certainly would not have anticipated his first start of the season coming in mid-December. But on a torrential night on the south coast, Elliott shone brightest as the Carabao Cup holders, ultimately, sneaked through at Southampton last night.
Rashford's love affair with Man Utd nears its sad end
Forward ready for a new challenge’ after baffling slump
Inflation is up again... and it's fired by 'greedflation'
With inflation jumping to 2.6 per cent, is it time to start discussing \"greedflation\"? This was a hot topic a year ago when critics said companies were failing to pass on the falling costs they were benefitting from as inflation came down. Even the Bank of England voiced concern.
Edgar-Jones misses mark in Tennessee Williams classic
The star of 'Normal People' fails to achieve emotional lift-off in 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' stage return, writes Alice Saville
Fergie may be the key to a peaceful palace Christmas
When it comes to royal ructions, Prince Andrew is the gift that keeps on giving. Step forward someone not traditionally known for being the voice of calm, writes Harry Mount
It's no Holiday living in a 'perfect' Cotswolds cottage
If the classic Christmas romcom makes you fantasise about moving to a beautiful old house in the countryside, then Simon Mills, who just did that, has this warning for you
This 'cuspy Waspi' woman is furious at Labour's deceit
\"I've always been pleased that I was born at the end of the Fifties. It was a time when you could easily get a GP appointment, and when schools had new buildings. War-time rationing was over. Clothes were colourful, toys were plentiful, and I had the Sixties music of The Beatles, Dusty Springfield and The Monkees as the soundtrack of my childhood.
Musk-Farage meeting hands a political gift to Starmer
The talks between Nigel Farage and Elon Musk at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida have highlighted the urgent need to reform the UK's archaic rules on how political parties are funded. No money for Reform UK was agreed and Farage described reports of a $100m donation by Musk as \"for the birds\".
