Everton sack manager Sean Dyche hours before FA Cup tie

Relegation-threatened Everton have sacked manager Sean Dyche on Friday, hours before the Premier League club were due to play their FA Cup third-round tie against Peterborough at Goodison Park.

Everton are 16th in the standings after 19 games, a point above the drop zone. They have not won a game since beating Wolverhampton Wanderers in early December, a winless run of five matches.

With Dyche's backroom staff also leaving, Everton said Under-18s head coach Leighton Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman would take charge of the first team on an interim basis.

"Everton Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as senior men's first team manager with immediate effect," the club said in a statement.

"Ian Woan, Steve Stone, Mark Howard and Billy Mercer have also left the club. The process to appoint a new Manager is underway and an update will be provided in due course."

Everton were taken over by new owners, the Friedkin Group, in December and Dyche had said that he had their support before their form nosedived.

He was also unperturbed by reports of the owners looking for a new manager this week, saying succession planning should be a part of their due diligence. His last game in charge was Saturday's 1-0 loss at Bournemouth.

Dyche is the sixth Premier League manager to get the sack this season and the second in as many days after West Ham United replaced Julen Lopetegui with Graham Potter.

The 53-year-old joined Everton in January 2023, replacing Frank Lampard when they were in the relegation zone. A nervy 1-0 win on the final day of the season preserved their place in the top flight.

The English manager also ensured they stayed in the Premier League last year despite two points deductions for breaching the league's Profitability and Sustainability Rules which took away eight points, with Everton finishing 15th.

However, the current campaign got off to a dismal start with Everton losing their first four league games.

A five-match unbeaten run gave the club's fans hope of turning things around, but they have won only three Premier League games this season and one of their last 11 fixtures as the owners ran out of patience.

-Reuters