Sean Dyche left his position as Everton manager on the eve of the team’s match against Peterborough United, just two years into his tenure with the Premier League side.
Speculation about Dyche’s future has intensified with reports suggesting that Everton’s new owners, the US-based Friedkin Group, have been in talks with potential successors after completing their takeover of the Liverpool club.
Everton said in a statement that Dyche had been “relieved of his duties as manager of the senior first team with immediate effect” and the process of appointing a new boss was ongoing.
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The Toffees are once again struggling to avoid relegation from the Premier League after winning just one of their last 11 games, with their only success coming in December against fellow strugglers Wolves.
Under-18 head coach Leighton Baines and captain Seamus Coleman will take over on an interim basis while Everton’s new owners look for a permanent successor to Dyche.
Former Manchester United and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, currently coach of Turkish club Fenerbahce, has recently been linked with Everton.
David Moyes, who managed Everton between 2002 and 2013, former England coach Gareth Southgate, Brentford manager Thomas Frank and Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola are also among the reported candidates.
Everton has won only three times in 19 league games this season and is in 16th place, just one point away from the relegation zone.
Asked earlier this week whether the club was considering his position, Dyche said he knew he could face dismissal.
“To be clear, that should be the case,” said the former Burnley boss.
“Ultimately, if you are running a business of this size, succession planning should certainly be part of your diligence. I don’t have any problem with that.”
Dyche took over at Everton in January 2023 and has kept the team in the top flight despite a number of problems, including a point deduction last season for breaking Premier League rules on profit and sustainability.
Dyche finished 17th in his first season and finished 15th last season, extending their streak of being in the top flight since 1954.
However, Everton’s main problems under the 53-year-old were a lack of entertainment and few goals.
Their tally of just 15 goals this season is the second-worst in the Premier League, behind only bottom-of-the-table 12-team Southampton.
Everton failed to register a single shot on target in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth and had just two shots in their 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest in the previous match. This proved to be the last straw for the Friedkin Group and Everton will now begin the search for their fifth permanent manager in the last four years.
Dyche is the sixth manager to lose his Premier League job this season after Julen Lopetegui, replaced by Graham Potter, was sacked by West Ham on Wednesday.
