Sean Dyche tells the ‘truth’ about next season as the Everton boss prepares for the challenge

Sean Dyche believes next season will be another where the challenge for Everton will be to “protect” their Premier League status.

The Blues boss anticipates a difficult summer as the club try to plot for another top-flight campaign while facing significant uncertainty off the pitch. Dyche said it was “very likely” some of his players would be sold.

His words echoed those of director of football Kevin Thelwell in the program notes for the final home game of the season.

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A goal from Abdoulaye Doucoure earned Everton a 1-0 win in their last outing at Goodison Park this season. The win, against already relegated Sheffield United, saw the club end another challenging year with five consecutive home wins. Dyche’s side amassed 40 points, even with a further eight deducted, and it was clear that both the team and the supporters deserved to enjoy the lap of honor after the final whistle – the first of 2019.

It was also the first time in three seasons that Everton did not need to win their final home game to stay in the Premier League and in his post-match press conference Dyche made it clear that this did not mean that the times difficult times have come to an end for a club that has endured a difficult few years. An unresolved ownership saga will continue in a summer where Everton will look to sell players to help with both league spending rules and the club’s wider financial stability.

Asked if recent impressive form “set the bar” for next year, Dyche said: “The bar for next season is to make sure we protect this club in the Premier League. It hasn’t really changed. More challenges will come. I tried to be honest with you, telling the fans the truth.

“It’s not going to be solved overnight. It’s going to be a building process and it’s going to take time. I think there’s growth, from when we got to where it is now. There’s been development in the side and the players and for sure, it’s a long way way to go to get back to where I think Everton is.

“The perception is often greater than the truth of the story, so I try to find the gap between the two and bring it together so the fans can say, ‘OK, we’re kind of getting where we are.’ I’m trying to do that, but there are more challenges ahead, I don’t just mean financially, I mean balancing the club, balancing the playing aspects, balancing the salary structure.