Chris Sutton blown away by Sean Dyche ‘miracle work’ at Everton, delivers Dominic Calvert-Lewin trust verdict
Chris Sutton believes Sean Dyche worked a “miracle” to keep Everton in the Premier League this season but worries the next step forward could be difficult to take.
The Toffees survived the drop by the skin of their teeth, with a final day of the season victory against Bournemouth (28 May) leaving them in 17th position and just two points above relegated Leicester City.
Speaking live on the Monday Night Club [29 May, 24:40], Sutton sang Dyche’s praises but worried about the lack of goalscorers in the Toffees squad when the untrustworthy Dominic Calvert-Lewin was sidelined.
“It’s alright saying, ‘we need a striker’, but who is going to want to sign?” Sutton said.
“Calvert-Lewin, you just can’t trust him. He had those run of games when they ended up tearing Brighton apart and you talk about 34 goals all season, and five of those were in one game against Brighton.
“The run of games that Sean Dyche had to contend with towards the end of the season, it is miracle stuff really to keep that team up.
“But now it is about that next step, and I think it is a really difficult one for him.”
Incredible turnaround
The job that Dyche has done since arriving at Goodison Park in January shouldn’t be scoffed at.
The Englishman came into the club just as Anthony Gordon’s sale to Newcastle was being finalised and with next-to-time to get any new faces into the first-team fold to aid with the relegation fight.
Considering this, and the struggles that Frank Lampard had faced previously, it is hugely impressive that he managed to get his Everton side just about over the line.
There is no doubt that this Toffees squad needs serious investment in the summer to avoid a similar fate next season, with a striker the number one priority in the transfer window.
Calvert-Lewin can’t be trusted to score double-figure goals in a single season due to his injury complications, and whenever the Englishman is missing, Everton have looked blunt and devoid of ideas.
Hopefully, Dyche will be given the funds to turn around the Merseyside club’s ship and navigate them back up the Premier League table.