Under pressure Everton manager won't be taking Peterborough United lightly in their FA Cup tie
Everton boss Sean Dyche has described a third round FA Cup tie against Peterborough United at Goodison Park on Thursday (7.45pm kick-off) as a ‘really, really big game,’ and not just because his own job appears to be under threat.
Dyche is under pressure, at a time when the club have come under new ownership, but a run of one win in 11 Premier League games which has left Everton two places and one point above the relegation zone. They’ve scored just one goal in their last five outings.
A shock defeat – and it would be a considerable shock given the awful current form of Posh – would probably see the back of Dyche who is under no illusions he needs to see a quick reversal of form.
Dyche is hindered tomorrow by the absence of key men with forward players Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Youssef Chermiti and Dwight McNeill among those to be ruled out.
"The FA Cup game is very important, a really really big game,” Dyche said. “The noise grows very powerful here so this game is of significant importance given the state of play here. My position should be under scrutiny. At the end of the day, if you are a business or a club of this size then succession planning should surely be part of your due diligence. I've got no problem with that. It should be ongoing at every football club. It happens in normal business life, so I never really concern myself with that.
“The owners have been positive and very up front with me about what their expectations are. The club is always bigger than me. I have said that since I got here. I just see myself as a custodian. So far, I've handled it pretty well, I think. Now, can I go win some games? Can I take it to another level? Can I change the narrative? Can I reinvent what we are trying to do?
"Every game is important. It is so apparent when you get to this football club that every game is massive. It is hero or zero. Win some and you are a hero at that moment - you know what you are doing. Lose and you don't. It is really simple here. I have never taken any game lightly.”