Sean Dyche is wary of the “new manager bounce” when his Everton visit Manchester United in Ruben Amorim’s first home game.
The Portuguese got his first win in charge in the Europa League on Thursday in a 3-2 victory Bodo/Glimt and will be hoping to make it two wins from two against Dyche’s Toffees.
Dyche said: “Everyone talks of a ‘new manager bounce’ and the rest of it, so it’s more difficult in that way of thinking, but they’ve still got good players.
“A new manager to the Premier League will maybe give a different feel to it, I’m sure he’s been working with the players and trying to get his thoughts across.”
Working on goal threat
Everton have won only two of their 12 Premier League games this season, including only one of their last six.
The Toffees seem to have solved the defensive issues that plagued them early on in the season but are now struggling score them up the other end, with their last two games against West Ham and Brentford ending in stalemates.
On their scoring issues, Dyche added: “You work with them constantly on goal threat and it’s not just the strikers. A lot was made of our set-pieces and that’s still absolutely valid.
“We want to be a threat from those and [also see] how many different ways we can affect the opposition from open play. We found it tough against a compact defence against Brentford – when they went down to 10 men, we couldn’t find those key moments.
“In other games we have and not finished it. At the end of the day, it’s the scoreline that you’re looking for to get that right.
“We’ve obviously made a considerable difference to the defending stats from the opening part of the season, and then it’s finding that balance between defending well as a team and attacking well as a team.
“The final moment of truth is the hardest as a manager – you can’t kick it in for them.”
▶️ Sean Dyche is asked how close Armando Broja is to a return to the Men’s Senior Team matchday squad and gives updates on injuries to James Garner and Tim Iroegbunam 🔵 pic.twitter.com/DY2v5eMEWB
— Everton (@Everton) November 29, 2024
Everton team news: Broja and Chermiti stepping up returns
Armando Broja and Yousseff Chermiti are close to getting their first minutes of the season with Dyche revealing the pair will feature for the Under-21s on Friday night.
Midfielders Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner look set to remain out for the trip to Old Trafford, as will captain Seamus Coleman – though Dyche said the right-back is stepping up his return.
He added: “Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti will get some minutes today [for the Under-21 side].
“Seamus Coleman is getting back on the grass and it probably won’t be enough for this weekend, but he’s showing signs of getting truly fit after niggly injuries.
“Other players are just getting back to full Premier League fitness and it’s coming. But we don’t want to say too much because every time I do, we lose players again.”
