Fresh from bringing Arsenal all the way down to earth, Sean Dyche now has Liverpool in his sights and the possibility to make himself a right away icon amongst Everton followers.
As one in every of English soccer’s final disrupters, Everton’s new supervisor can upset the percentages in Monday’s Merseyside derby and heap extra distress on Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp.
While Dyche has taken over a group in a combat for Premier League survival, Liverpool has troubles of its personal.
“I have no words for it really. I’m sorry,” Klopp mentioned after a 3-0 loss at Wolverhampton final week that left the group in tenth place.
It’s now changing into a case of harm limitation for a group that challenged for an unprecedented 4 trophies final season, with Champions League qualification trying more and more unlikely until Liverpool goes on to win the competitors this 12 months.
Such issues should sound just like the stuff of desires for an Everton group that had not gained within the league since Oct. 22 earlier than Dyche ended that run in his first recreation final week towards chief Arsenal. Even after that morale-boosting end result, the group stays within the relegation zone and solely three factors above last-place Southampton.
In regular circumstances, a visit to Anfield is likely to be thought-about the worst potential prospect — Everton has solely gained one of many final 27 derbies towards its largest rival. Dyche, nevertheless, has a historical past of upsetting the favorites, together with a 1-0 win for Burnley at then-champion Liverpool in 2021.
This can be not the identical Liverpool that has dominated the Premier League — together with Manchester City — over the previous 4 years. The loss at Wolverhampton was the seventh within the league this season and tenth in all competitions.
Nottingham Forest, Leeds, Brentford and Brighton have all overwhelmed Klopp’s as soon as formidable group, which has solely gained one recreation this 12 months.
Klopp is struggling to manage after a bunch of accidents to key gamers, in addition to the lack of ahead Sadio Mane final 12 months. His group is in transition and it’s unsure if he’ll be capable to rebuild it to the purpose that he can proceed to problem City for main honors.
Dyche, conversely, has the stage set to capitalize and gasoline perception amongst Everton followers that he can lead the membership to security.
Back-to-back video games towards Arsenal and Liverpool represented a frightening begin for the brand new supervisor, whereas additionally explaining why Everton determined to fireside Frank Lampard earlier than that run. The membership wanted the vitality and bounce {that a} change on the prime can deliver and that was evident towards Arsenal.
If Dyche can keep away from shedding on Monday, he would think about three of the following 4 video games to be winnable towards Leeds and Aston Villa at dwelling and at Nottingham Forest. There can be a visit to Arsenal coming.
While factors are very important to Everton, so is the message {that a} win towards Liverpool would ship out.
As the pink half of Merseyside has flourished in recent times, the blue half has sunk to the purpose that Everton’s very place within the prime division of English soccer is in jeopardy.
Dyche was employed to keep away from relegation and attempt to reduce the hole between the groups. On Monday, he has the possibility to make a right away impression on one of many sport’s most historic rivalries.
