Dyche’s sacking on Thursday evening, just as preparations for the cup match were winding down, was a real shock – not because it happened, but because of how it happened.
The local authorities met at lunchtime to give the go-ahead for the match due to the frosty weather on Merseyside, and the Friedkin Group were similarly cool in making their bombshell decision.
Dyche, now a former manager, was at the club’s Finch Farm training ground in the morning and was informed of his decision in the afternoon and said goodbye to staff.
Baines said he was then asked to report to the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool, where the players were meeting, and was informed of Dyche’s dismissal by sporting director Kevin Thelwell.
Senior sources close to the club and the Friedkin Group told BBC Sport that when they met for talks this week, both the owner and Dyche felt they had reached the end of the road.
It was claimed Dyche was unaware of the decision made at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference, during which he said he had “no problem” with the club’s “succession planning”.
And when he told his superiors he would take the team as far as possible, changes were inevitable and the group took decisive action to “relieve Dyche of his responsibilities” at 16:32 GMT, shortly before the match kicked off at 19:45 .
“Sean was here this morning and I’ve never had anything like this happen to me [timing of a sacking] earlier,” said Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson. “It’s very unusual for a manager to be sacked three or four hours before a match. The moment it happened surprised everyone.”
Everton fan Chris and his son told BBC Sport: “It was disrespectful to Dyche and the team but he can’t do anything more than he did. It would be better to announce it the morning after the game.”
The brutal nature of the dismissal was further emphasized by the club official statement, external – no thanks to Dyche for his service or recognition of the work done by him and his staff in difficult circumstances during their tenure, which lasted less than two years.
Match programs were published and sold outside the stadium, and there was a front-page column by Dyche in which he wrote that he wanted to start “building positive momentum after some disappointing results”.
He won’t be given that chance.
Former manager David Moyes is strongly linked with the vacancy and although BBC Sport is unable to verify the reports, he appears to be the best-suited candidate.
The 61-year-old spent 11 seasons at Goodison Park between 2002 and 2013, knows the area well and has been out of work since leaving West Ham in the summer. It is also in line with the club’s idea to acquire someone with experience in the Premier League.
“The best player available is David Moyes,” former Everton captain Alan Stubbs told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I see Moyes being hired by Everton in the next day or two.”
