Paul Merson: Everton ‘in trouble’ after David Moyes appointment
Everton have not changed much by replacing Sean Dyche with David Moyes as manager, according to Paul Merson.
The Sky Sports pundit believes they have similar styles of play, and the Scottish head coach’s arrival doesn’t help the Toffees in their fight against relegation.
Merson thinks the Blues are in trouble this season and predicts Aston Villa will beat them 1-0 at Goodison Park on Wednesday (15 January).
Writing for Sportskeeda (13 January), he said: “Everton have brought David Moyes in, thinking it’s going to kick-start something new, but he’s an experienced Sean Dyche if you ask me. I like Moyes, but I don’t understand what he offers more than Dyche.
“He left the club 11 years ago, and you can’t tell me they haven’t changed in that time. Moyes is going to set them up exactly like Dyche, and that’s the problem. I believe they are in trouble this season because nothing much changes with this appointment.
“If they got rid of Dyche and went for something different, I would understand. But they have gone with someone very similar in Moyes. Aston Villa win for me.”
David Moyes needed to replace Sean Dyche at Everton
Dyche was already on a tightrope at the start of the season after losing the opening four fixtures of the season, and his dismissal wasn’t surprising.
While some thought the former Burnley head coach might be the right person to help the Merseyside outfit avoid relegation once again this season, fans had grown weary of him.
With the overwhelming majority of supporters against the 53-year-old, it was untenable for him to continue at Goodison.
Everton have been fighting for survival for years now, and the players in the squad have enough experience to do it again.
The squads’ mental fortitude will undoubtedly be strong after so many struggles, making the appointment of a new manager seemingly a formality.
Moyes has a history with the Toffees and will have certainly learnt a lot during his time at West Ham.
While the Scottish manager is also pragmatic in his approach, the football will undoubtedly be more exciting than it was under Dyche.
With a few injury issues to deal with in the squad, it will be interesting to see how the 61-year-old will set the Blues up as they take on Villa.
In other Everton news, Chris Sutton has hit back at Rory Smith after what was said about Moyes.
For more Everton news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.