Dyche sees that Blues have really come out SWINGING

POINTS DIFFERENCE IS PROOF ENOUGH OF PROGRESS MADE SINCE MOYES REPLACED HIS LATEST OPPONENT

- By CHRIS BEESLEY ECHO Reporter

AS Everton tore apart Nottingham Forest 3-0 at Hill Dickinson Stadium, the difference from 12 months ago was obvious.

Sean Dyche made his Blues return and while the man who kept the club's head above water in their darkest hour was rightly given a warm reception by home supporters for his efforts on Merseyside as he made his way into the ground from the team bus, what transpired on the field demonstrated the huge strides that have been made since his tenure.

As the third manager this season before the clocks even went back, the 54-year-old, who got Burnley to punch above their weight for almost a decade and was rewarded by having a pub named after him in the East Lancashire town, has steadied the ship at maritime magnate Evangelos Marinakis' previously rudderless vessel that was sinking fast, just months after European qualification.

However, for a man who the East Midlands reporters say these days seemingly quotes Brian Clough at every press conference, his team don't play like his mentor's sides. 'Old Big 'Ead' as the legendary City Ground boss called himself, famously remarked: "If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky" - so what would he make of Dyche's Forest?

Cast your minds back to the corresponding fixture between Everton and Nottingham Forest last December - which proved to be Dyche's final home game as Blues boss - when the hosts had just two shots on target and an expected goals (xG) of 0.64.