Key players for Sean Dyche in Everton's Premier League survival bid

The last few months have been rather bleak for Everton fans. Frank Lampard’s sacking saw another season of underwhelming results and after the sale of Antony Gordon, no replacement arrived, leaving the Toffees dumped in the relegation zone and lacking any sort of identity. However, the appointment of Sean Dyche brings fresh optimism to Goodison Park, as fans hope their side can defy the Premier League odds and remain afloat for another season.

Something of a relegation specialist throughout his time as Burnley manager, Dyche stamped his authority on this Everton side from the off with an impressive win over league-leaders Arsenal. The Toffees looked inspired and Goodison, lifted by that new manager bounce, were in full voice to see their team over the line. There’s still plenty of time left for Everton to turn things around, and with some core players from his time at Turf Moor back in the dressing room donning new colours, Everton could pull off a second survival bid in successive years.

Indeed, the scenes at the end of last season were thought to be unique for Everton fans, and you wonder how many more pitch invasions and blue pyro that group can endure. It will be down to Dyche to rally the troops and go again for the closing months of the season. If he can get the best out of his side then they have a very good chance. Read on, as we assess the key players Dyche will need if Everton are to prove the doubters wrong and maintain their Premier League status this season.

James Tarkowski

A key member of Dyche’s Burnley team, James Tarkowski was only sold to Everton over the summer but is already proving a real leader at the back. While the Toffees still have one of the poorest defences in the league, the blame should lie more with the likes of Jordan Pickford and Conor Coady, who were selected for England’s World Cup squad despite a tough start to the season. Tarkowski brings that grit and determination to the back line that Dyche teams are notorious for and combined with his composure when passing out from the back, expect him to be a regular between now and the end of the season.

Alex Iwobi

Under Lampard, we saw Alex Iwobi really reinvent himself as a footballer. The Nigerian international arrived from Arsenal as a more traditional winger but this season he has transitioned into a box-to-box centre midfielder, covering ground and winning tackles whilst using his technical ability to break lines and create chances in the final third. A tireless worker, Iwobi was far too inconsistent out on the left, and looked like a waste of money having cost £35 million back in 2019, but should he keep his place in the middle of the park alongside Amado Onana, Everton have a seamless link between defence and attack that could be key to scoring crucial goals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Dyche’s biggest task will be getting Dominic Calvert-Lewin back to his best form. One of the club’s longest-serving players, the 25-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout the last few campaigns and the goalscoring burden was left on Richarlison last term. The Brazilian has since left the club and the responsibility now lies with Calvert-Lewin to fire Everton to safety. Physical, fast and with a good eye for goal, he has bags of potential and when you look at Dyche’s record at developing strikers like Danny Ings and Chris Wood, there’s every chance he will be back amongst the goals when given a run of games.