Sean Dyche has been appointed as Everton manager

Everton have appointed Sean Dyche as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The former Burnley boss has been tasked with keeping the Toffees in the Premier League after being drafted in to replace the sacked Frank Lampard.

Lampard was dismissed on Monday in the wake of a 2-0 defeat to West Ham  that left Everton 19th in the league and without a win since October.

The Goodison Park hierarchy reported held talks with former Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa about the position before opting to bring in Dyche.

“It’s an honour to become Everton manager. My staff and I are ready and eager to help get this great club back on track,” he told the club’s website.

“I know about Everton’s passionate fanbase and how precious this club is to them. 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.

“Our aim is to put out a team that works, that fights and wears the badge with pride. The connection with the fans can then grow very quickly because they’re so passionate.

“There is quality in this squad. But we have to make them shine. That’s the job of me and my staff.”

Dyche made his name during a decade-long spell in charge of Burnley and has been out of work since being sacked by the Clarets in April 2022.

The 51-year-old twice led Burnley to promotion from the Championship and took them as high as seventh in the top flight in 2017/18, earning Europa League qualification.

He was dismissed towards the end of last season after a poor run left the Turf Moor club in the relegation zone, four points from safety.

Dyche has a big job on his hands to turn around the Merseyside club’s flagging form and end an eight-match winless run in the Premier League that has included damaging defeats in the last three outings.

Back-to-back losses to direct relegation rivals Southampton and West Ham ultimately cost Lampard his job, and led to protests from disgruntled fans who are unhappy with the running of the club.

The sour situation off the pitch even led to Everton announcing that the board of directors had been told not to attend the home game against Saints due to a “real and credible threat” to their safety.

A fierce battle for survival is unfolding in the Premier League this season, with three points separating rock-bottom Southampton from Leicester City in 14th.

Everton are level on 15 points with Saints but have a better goal difference, and they are two points behind 17th-placed Wolves.

Dyche faces a tough start to his new job – the Toffees’ next two Premier League fixtures are at home to league leaders Arsenal and away to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.

The club are fully focused on league duties, having already been knocked out of both the League Cup and FA Cup.