EPL

Struggling Everton appoint Sean Dyche as new manager

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Struggling side Everton have announced the appointment of former Burnley boss Sean Dyche as their new manager to replace the sacked Frank Lampard.

Dyche signed a contract for two and a half years. On Saturday at Goodison Park, the Premier League leaders Arsenal will be Dyche’s first opponent.

The 51-year-old said it was an “honour” to take over at the Merseyside club, which hasn’t won a trophy since 1995.

“I know about Everton’s passionate fan base and how precious this club is to them,” Dyche said in a club statement.

“We’re ready to work and ready to give them what they want. That starts with sweat on the shirt, effort and getting back to some of the basic principles of what Everton Football Club has stood for for a long time.

“We want to bring back a good feeling. We need the fans, we need unity and we need everyone aligned. That starts with us as staff and players.”

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright said: “He quickly convinced me that he has exactly the right attributes to make himself a great Everton manager — and a man who could inspire our fanbase.”

Lampard was fired last week after losing nine of his last 12 Premier League games. The final straw in his troubled reign was a terrible loss to relegation rivals West Ham.

Everton is second-last in the Premier League, and the team is fighting to stay in the top division of English soccer for the first time since 1954.

Marcelo Bielsa, who used to be the manager of Leeds, was also in the running to become Everton’s eighth permanent manager since Farhad Moshiri bought the club in 2016.

Dyche was fired by Burnley in April of last year, just before the team was kicked out of the Premier League.

During his 10 years as manager of the Clarets, he did more than expected. Twice he led them to promotion from the Championship, and he kept them in the Premier League for many years.

He also led Burnley to their first trip to Europe in 50 years after they finished seventh in the 2017-18 season.