Everton

Following the sacking of Sean Dyche on Thursday evening, we asked you who should replace the outgoing boss.

Here are some of your comments:

Jon: Should have gone a long time ago, lacked vision. The Friedkins need to put their money where their mouth is and bring in a world-class manager who can return this club to what it should be - winning trophies.

Ivor: Sean Dyche and his team have done a good job under the most difficult circumstances. As fans, we do not know what happened behind the scenes, but new owners want results as soon as possible so a big name like Jose Mourinho is on the cards, or a David Moyes comeback could be the answer (he should never have left).

Steve: We need someone who can get them scoring. David Moyes - time to come home.

Paul: The talk of Jose Mourinho only fills me with worry. Please, please, please appoint someone who understands and appreciates everything that makes Everton the wonderful club it is! In Moyes I trust!

Richie: I am hoping we get someone that nobody is expecting. Jose would be a huge mistake, I know he has a history of winning but he has a history of leaving a mess behind him.

Harry: I would be good for Lee Carsley to come as he has done well at England with the senior men's team and the under-21s.

Shaun: This was needed earlier. Would get big Duncan Ferguson in or Moyes to get us clear of relegation, then line up a top manager like Carlo Ancelotti or Jose Mourinho. Cannot carry on like this every season. New manager, new ground, new owners.

Steve: Only solution now for me is to appoint David Moyes until the end of the season. If we stay up, give him the job. If we go down, it starts again. One thing that gets forgotten is that Moyes was never sacked. He was considered the best option for Manchester United. Go with Moyes, Carsley or Coleman.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Sean Dyche's exit did little to enthuse the Everton faithful in Thursday's FA Cup, with the Peterborough game played in bitterly cold conditions amid a largely subdued atmosphere.

"Why was Goodison so flat?" asked former Blues winger Andros Townsend on BBC Radio 5 Live. "I thought it would be electric."

The supporters will have to rally themselves and fully get behind the next man, with the club hopeful of making an appointment before Wednesday's Premier League home game against Aston Villa.

Dyche's successor will take charge of a side mired in another dogfight at the wrong end of the table in 16th place, just one point above the bottom three.

Everton have won just three of 19 Premier League games this season and were beaten 1-0 by Bournemouth on Saturday, when they failed to register a shot on target.

Though they scored two against lowly League One opposition on Thursday, finding goals in the league will be the main issue for the new manager to resolve, having netted only 15 times in those 19 league games.

"Looking at the bigger picture, I think it's a major red flag for this ownership," said Townsend.

"Whether it's the right or wrong decision, it's three hours before kick-off in an FA Cup game. It's a man who has saved you from relegation the last two years - one with a points deduction, yet somehow managed to keep them up, and this is how you treat him.

"But I think Everton have more than enough in that dressing room to stay in the Premier League.

"I don't think they will be anywhere near the bottom come the end of the season."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Everton's performance and managerial situation

Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies

The FA Cup third round gets under way on Thursday and you can follow both Premier League clubs in action.

• Everton v Peterborough - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and watch live on BBC iPlayer and Red Button

• Fulham v Watford - listen live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Both games kick off at 19:45 GMT

Follow all of the action and reaction

Image source, PA Media

We asked you to have your say on Sean Dyche leaving his role as Everton manager.

Here are some of your comments:

Brian: Nice enough guy who tried his best, but he is limited. Apart from a rearguard action approach he did not have much in his locker - he was tactically clueless and when we had strikers that could not hit a barn door he did not have a plan B. The other thing was his communication skill - we have a brilliant fan base that will not be told black is white - at some press conferences you wondered if he had been watching the same game. We need a manager who can tap into the passion of the fans and use that energy to inspire the players.

Bev: A bold move to sack Dyche hours before the FA Cup game. Perhaps a taste of things to come? We need bold, courageous and brave action at Everton.

Graham: Ultimately Dyche was the master of his own downfall with a toothless attacking strategy, but it is unbelievable timing - bordering on irresponsible, unless a replacement has already been firmed up, which initial reports suggest is not the case.

Tommo: Three wins in 19 games, cannot score for toffee, dreadful football - he just had to go. Yes, he did well last season with all the furore around the club and points deduction, but we are in real danger this season and have not kicked on.

Paul: I was never the biggest supporter of Dyche but was extremely grateful for how he managed to guide us away from relegation for the past two seasons but, given the performances this season, I think his sacking was only delayed by the takeover.

Mick: Sometimes you think only Everton can handle things so badly. To sack a manager hours before a match without any replacement just beggars belief. For what it is worth, I think he did his best under difficult circumstances and a toxic atmosphere that surrounds Everton and I am not hopeful that we will find a suitable replacement.

Pete: At last! The past two seasons have been dreadful as an Everton season ticket holder. Hopefully they will get the right man for the job now, although I don't know who it will be.

On social media, BBC commentator Steve Bower pointed to the fact that Dyche's programme notes were published for a game taking place three hours after his sacking.

Image source, Steve Bower

Image source, Getty Images

The "unthinkable" possibility of relegation from the Premier League has "focused the minds" of Everton's new owners, said BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty after the club sacked manager Sean Dyche.

There has been uncertainty about the 53-year-old's future since the Friedkin Group took over the club in December, and it was confirmed just hours before their FA Cup match against Peterborough on Thursday that he has been relieved of his duties.

"It's not often that Everton can take you totally by surprise given some of the antics in recent years, but sacking a manager couple of hours before a game is a new one even for them," McNulty told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I think it has been coming. [Owners] The Friedkin Group probably would have liked to have seen the season through with Sean Dyche in charge and then had a total reset when his contract runs out and the new stadium kicks in.

"But looking at recent results and performances, they have won three games out of 19 in the Premier League. Only scored 15 goals. And the 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday without a shot on target was probably the final straw and the owners have acted very quickly."

The loss at Bournemouth left the Toffees two places and one point above the relegation zone.

"With the last two seasons, and I think this is where history will reflect more favourably on Sean Dyche perhaps than present, he has kept them out trouble, he kept them up in the face of a deduction of eight points. He deserves respect for what he has done but momentum has run out," McNulty added.

"They have been pretty unwatchable at times. They are creating barely any chances. When you look at that league table, they are 16th at the moment with 17 points, below them are Wolves and Ipswich with 16, and those two teams recently have really shown an upturn in form.

"That has possibly focused minds of Everton's owners, because with the new stadium on the horizon, relegation is really unthinkable this season of all seasons."

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter at Goodison Park

Image source, Getty Images

An incredible turn of events here at Goodison Park, with Everton taking the decision to sack manager Sean Dyche just a matter of hours before their FA Cup third round tie against Peterborough.

I was walking on the way to the ground when my phone started pinging with messages, before confirmation from the club arrived at 16:32 BST saying Dyche has been "relieved of his duties".

It is the first major decision new owners The Friedkin Group have made since taking over last month and undoubtedly a ruthless one.

But the team have stagnated on the pitch, sitting just a point above the relegation zone, with the goals drying up and fan sentiment wearing way on the ex-Burnley boss.

His exploits with the Toffees, keeping them up in the Premier League for the last two seasons under the most difficult of circumstances, were not enough for him to keep his job.

I wrote a piece just yesterday asking whether Dyche was running out of time - the answer was yes.

Now the big question is who comes in and whether he can drag the side up the table and away from danger.

Send us your thoughts on the sacking and Everton's next move

Image source, Getty Images

Sean Dyche has left Everton after less than two years in charge.

During that time, he oversaw 75 Premier League games. Of those, 21 were wins, 23 were draws and 31 ended in defeat.

Everton finished 17th in 2022-23 and 15th last season, although they would have been 12th but for an eight-point deduction.

Dyche has left with the Toffees 16th in the table, one point above the relegation zone.

Have your say on Dyche's exit and who you would like to be the next Everton manager

Image source, Getty Images

Everton have sacked head coach Sean Dyche after nearly two years in charge of the club.

The announcement comes just hours before the Toffees are due to play Peterborough United in the FA Cup third round on Thursday night.

Under-18s Head Coach Leighton Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman will now take charge of first-team affairs on an interim basis it was confirmed in a statement.

The 53-year-old, who joined on 30 January 2023, had come under increasing pressure since the new ownership took over with Everton sitting just one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Everton said: "Everton Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as senior men's first team manager with immediate effect.

"Ian Woan, Steve Stone, Mark Howard and Billy Mercer have also left the club.

"The process to appoint a new Manager is underway and an update will be provided in due course."

What do you make of the news, Toffees fans? Right decision? Or should Dyche have been given more time?

Let us know

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 FA Cup third round games and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.

For this week's matches he is up against actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, who is a Liverpool fan.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Everton just cannot score and this is a big game for their manager Sean Dyche because it is clear a large proportion of their fans are massively underwhelmed by the way the team is performing.

Things have already turned a bit ugly for Dyche and of course the club has new owners now, so there is lots of speculation about his future.

I still think they will stay up and the most sensible thing would be to stick with him, but defeat would give the fans who are against him another stick to beat him with. You can imagine things escalating if they do lose, so the pressure is really on.

Because of the circumstances, Dyche has got to go strong here with his team selection, and try to find some rhythm in the final third.

I think they will find a way of winning this tie, but I honestly do not know who will get their goals.

Armando Broja got injured last weekend and, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin will argue he has not been getting the opportunities, he is a shadow of the player he once was. That must be hugely frustrating for Dyche, when he is in such dire need of goals.

Peterborough, in contrast, have no problem finding the net but their form is not great either and they have picked up just one point from their past five matches.

Posh will put up a good fight, though, especially if Tyler Young features against his dad, Ashley, who could be playing for Everton.

I played alongside my son, Ollie, for Wroxham in the Ryman League when I was 39 - the same age as Ashley - but it will be interesting watching them on opposing teams, because Ashley loves a tackle. He does not hold back from anything, so if there is a 50-50 with Tyler then what is going to happen there?!

Thornton's prediction: 3-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Everton have progressed from 14 of their past 15 FA Cup ties against lower league opposition, with the exception being a 3-2 defeat by Millwall in 2019.