Chris Sutton lauds Sean Dyche for Everton safety amid off-pitch ‘Nonsense’
Chris Sutton has heaped praise on Everton boss Sean Dyche after securing the club’s Premier League status for another year despite the off-field “nonsense”.
The Toffees secured safety for next season after three consecutive 2-0 wins over Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Brentford within a week, despite having eight points deducted from their tally this season for PSR breaches.
And while speaking to BBC Sport (2 May), pundit Sutton praised the “tremendous” job he has done as manager and claimed he has exceeded expectations this season after everything he has dealt with off the pitch.
“Everton are safe now, and what a tremendous job Sean Dyche has done there,” he said.
“Dyche says keeping the Toffees up with three games to go is his biggest achievement as a manager, and I can understand why he feels that way after the campaign they have had.
“When you look at Premier League managers who have exceeded expectation this season then, with all the nonsense he has had to put up with off the pitch, he is one of them.”
Sean Dyche: Manager of the year for Everton?
There has been plenty of talk about Unai Emery, Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, and Roberto Di Zerbi for manager of the year, but surely Dyche has to be in the conversation.
Yes, the team had a poor run of just one win in 15 games, but without an eight-point deduction in the season they would be comfortably in mid-table and competing for a top-half finish in the final games of the season.
Add to that the fact the financial situation is a complete mess which has forced Everton to sell key players in the summer at the last minute, and then injuries and the whole takeover situation and Dyche deserves credit.
There were some panicked fans calling for Dyche to potentially be sacked as relegation loomed, but he has saved the club with games to spare and there has been clear progress during his time at Goodison Park.
He won’t win it, and there are probably a few people who have a stronger case, but Dyche deserves huge credit for the season he has had.
In other Everton news, one source says the club could have walked away from Bramley-Moore dock and stayed at Goodison amid financial problems.
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