Everton Hope For Life After Dyche

Moyes is front runner to replace him, with fans hoping new owners can uplift club

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Everton fans have largely been faithful to Sean Dyche and their club through years of underachievement.

But there will be few tears shed at the sacking of their manager on Jan 9, after their patience was stretched to breaking point.

Despite being one of the oldest and proudest clubs in the country, the Toffees have become perennial occupants of the "danger zone", scrabbling around trying to avoid relegation - something they have not had to face for over 70 years.

Dyche's particular talent for organising teams to avoid defeat proved enough to just about keep them up twice, even with the added challenge of a points deduction last season, but most supporters were hoping that some sort of Plan B might eventually emerge.

Unfortunately, they have been left disappointed, mostly by the stultifyingly dull way their team are playing.

Everton did avoid FA Cup embarrassment with a 2-0 win over third-tier Peterborough United, courtesy of goals from Beto and Iliman Ndiaye just hours after Dyche was sacked.

Former Everton defender Leighton Baines, now the club's Under-18s coach, and captain Seamus Coleman took charge, using the starting line-up selected by Dyche before his dismissal.