Everton

What a difference six days makes.

It was doom, gloom and downright misery when Everton were crushed 6-0 at Chelsea in mid-April and they faced a defining run of three home games to make or break their campaign.

But they came through that testing period with flying colours as highly satisfying victories over Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Brentford within the space of six days secured their Premier League survival with three games to spare.

Now the mood around Finch Farm has totally changed, with dark clouds literally making way for blue skies.

Boss Sean Dyche was - understandably - in a jovial mood during today's news conference to preview Friday's trip to Luton, a game with much less significance for the Toffees than earmarked a couple of weeks ago.

Dyche was in such high spirits he was more than happy to talk about his 100% winning record switching from a suit to a tracksuit on the touchline and he mentioned his appearance in a recently released music video by the band Blossoms.

He even managed to crack a smile when I asked him if the next game "wasn't a must win" for the first time since he took charge in January 2023.

The former Burnley boss is often challenging to deal with when he gives short-shrift to questions you ask and can sometimes rub people up the wrong way with his abrasive nature.

After last season's final day escape amid fans' protests and being deducted points this season, Dyche is in much more relaxed territory than he is used to being at the club.

Survival has been ensured but with the uncertainty over the 777 Partners takeover rumbling on, he might want to keep that smile on his face until any further potential bad news comes his way.

Everton boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League match at Luton.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Dyche began by saying he is "very pleased" survival has been secured: "So thankful to the staff and players for all of their efforts and of course the fans, who played their part as well. A very big week - not just in the results but in the feel of the situation and how quickly it changes from a real negative to a real heavy positive."

• He confirmed Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Seamus Coleman have trained and will "be in consideration" for Friday while Beto has recovered from concussion and has also trained. James Tarkowski missed training as he waits on the birth of his child.

• On the prospective takeover from 777 Holdings: "Still waiting on more news. It's very simple - I've met with the group once and that hasn't changed."

• On performing in their final three games: "We're finding that balance. The feel-good factor has obviously affected everyone and we want to use that to our advantage. The freedom comes back into your play because our objective is achieved. It's about using all the things we've learned in these last three games and delivering performances."

• On opponents Luton: "We're going against a team who are fighting and had a really tough run of results. They're still fighting, still working. We have to go there with the right attitude and we intend to do so. We want to take it on, win and finish the season correctly."

• Dyche did not speculate when asked about whether the club's financial situation may force them into selling players this summer: "Not necessarily. There are obvious questions to be answered but possible it's new ownership might change things. Various things go into PSR [profitability and sustainability rules] not just player sales."

Follow the rest of Wednesday's football news

Here are the key facts and figures before Friday's game between Luton and Everton in the Premier League.

• Luton Town have already beaten Everton twice this season, once in the Premier League and once in the FA Cup fourth round. As a league club, the Hatters last beat another team three times in one season in 1988-89 against West Ham. The last newly promoted club to beat the Toffees three times in a season were Leeds United in 1964-65.

• This is Everton's first away match against Luton since a 1-0 win in the League Cup in October 2007, with Tim Cahill netting an extra-time winner. Their most recent league visit to Kenilworth Road was also a 1-0 victory back in November 1991 with Robert Warzycha the scorer.

• Luton have won just one of their past 14 Premier League games (D3 L10), with no side picking up fewer points than the Hatters since the start of this run (six). Despite this, they have only failed to score in one of their past 23 league games - a 2-0 defeat at league leaders Arsenal last month.

• Everton are winless in nine away Premier League games (D3 L6) since beating Burnley 2-0 in December. Five of the Toffees' first eight league wins this season came away from home - each of their past four have all been at Goodison Park.

• Carlton Morris is Luton's top scorer in the Premier League this season with 10 goals. He has scored in four of his past six appearances at Kenilworth Road, and also netted the Hatters' winner in the reverse fixture against Everton.

• Luton's Ross Barkley, who made 150 league appearances for Everton between 2011 and 2017, has scored just one goal in 10 Premier League games against sides he has previously played for in the competition. That strike came in a match at Kenilworth Road this season in a 3-2 defeat by Chelsea.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton defender Vitaliy Mykolenko will not play again this season after damaging ankle ligaments in the 2-0 win over Liverpool.

The 24-year-old, who has made 28 appearances for the Blues in the Premier League this season, was substituted at half-time of last week's Merseyside derby.

A club statement said left-back Mykolenko had been assessed by a specialist and will not need to have surgery, but did not put a timescale on his recovery.

Everton are 15th in the table and guaranteed their top-flight safety with a 1-0 victory over Brentford on Saturday.

So there we have it. Against all odds, we have secured our Premier League status with plenty of room to spare.

The past week has been one of the most un-Everton like weeks I have known. Faced with three home games in six days, the majority of Evertonians never would have envisaged that we would win all three, especially after 'that' performance at Chelsea.

Relegation rivals beaten, local rivals outfought and a message of congratulations from Green Day. The past seven days have had it all.

It is only right the bulk of my words are reserved for the manager and players.

Greeted with points deductions, ownership uncertainty, national ridicule and everything in between, they have shown incredible togetherness when it would have been much easier to wilt under the most intense of operating conditions.

Everton are the story of the season and the success of the season. They deserve immense respect and plaudits for what has been achieved.

Sean Dyche deserves manager of the season.

Some will laugh at such a suggestion, but I would not trust many other managers with our club currently. There is not much more praise I can give than that.

The anger we all feel towards the Premier League will take a long time to subside. Being hung out to dry, made an example of and being used in a battle against independent regulation would have destroyed many clubs.

Thankfully, we are made of much stronger stuff and Goodison Park rightly gets her final season swansong exactly where she should do.

Mike Richards can be found at the Unholy Trinity, external

After finishing 16th in 2021-22 and 17th in 2022-23, Everton have spent another season fighting for survival in the Premier League.

However, the Toffees did manage to secure their top-flight status for another year, despite receiving an eight-point deduction for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

Former Blues midfielder Leon Osman has been discussing the club's ambitions on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, stating: "Battling relegation is not the plan for the team or for the club.

"We are bigger than that - we feel that we are bigger than that - but you have to actually get the results on the pitch.

"What always makes it more difficult is the instability we have had. We had seven managers in seven years before Sean Dyche. So you are going to find it difficult to get momentum, keep momentum and move forward.

"Our managers for the most part - barring Carlo Ancelotti who left to go to Real Madrid - left because they had been doing a bad job and they had been sacked or moved on.

"Sean Dyche's first role last season was to keep the club in the Premier League. The next step, after he had managed that on the final day, was to rebuild the club and make progress - but then he was hit with all of the points deductions.

"He has actually made a stride forward. We would be on 44 points, which would probably get us about 12th or 13th place at the minute, had we not had those points deductions.

"We aren't the easiest team on the eye at times. We are not the team that is going to win games by having more possession than the opposition. We are good at what we do - set pieces, defensively and on the counter-attack."

Catch up on Monday Night Club on BBC iPlayer or BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

New York Times journalist Rory Smith has hailed the "extraordinary job" Sean Dyche has done at Everton this season.

The Toffees were deducted eight points across the campaign for breaching Premier League financial rules, but have achieved safety with three games to spare.

"Dyche deserves huge amounts of credit for what he has done at Everton," Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"What he's done this season has been fantastic.

"Given where Everton were, everything he has had to deal with and the fact the club's finances were - and are - in such a state that he could not really reinforce last summer, it's hugely impressive.

"They have taken 44 points - if you add on the points they have been deducted - which would have them comfortably mid-table.

"They were poor for two or three months in the middle of the season, but they have found a way to respond to it. He's done an extraordinary job this season."

The prospective takeover of the club by 777 Partners, however, is another issue that has dragged on throughout the season and Smith believes the uncertainty over the club's future means Dyche is unlikely to be able to significantly build on this season's performance.

"The reason things have been like this at Everton for so long is that they have spent money appallingly in vast sums and they are still paying the price for that," he added.

"I'm sure Sean Dyche will be sitting at home wanting to think about how he can get the club into the top half next season - but he can't think like that because of the two potential ownership groups.

"Farhad Moshiri seems to have checked out completely. He has run the club into the ground and was reliant on money from someone who is no longer allowed to put money into the club.

"And nobody thinks 777 is a good idea because there is something clearly very unsettling to the Premier League about that takeover option.

"Unless something else appears on the horizon, Dyche will probably go into next season with roughly the same aim as he did for this: ensuring they don't get relegated."

Watch the full Monday Night Club on BBC iPlayer or listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Premier League clubs have voted in favour of adopting an anchoring economic model, which will be linked to the earnings of the bottom club (tv and prize money).

The proposed system would operate like a spending cap.

The next stage is final analysis and drafting of rules, which will potentially be put to clubs at an AGM in June.

The model will be presented to clubs and - should clubs vote in favour then - it will replace the Profit and Sustainability Rules currently in place, from the 2025-26 season onwards.

Any new element of the financial system would come in shadow next season, to fully replace PSR in 2025-26.

“We will obviously wait to see further details of these specific proposals, but we have always been clear that we would oppose any measure that would place a ‘hard’ cap on player wages," said the PFA

“There is an established process in place to ensure that proposals like this, which would directly impact our members, have to be properly consulted on.”

Aston Villa, Manchester City and Manchester United opposed the vote, with Chelsea abstaining.

BBC Sport's chief football news reporter Simon Stone has been answering your questions.

Alex asked: With Sean Dyche being lauded for keeping Everton in the Premier League with three games too spare, is his job now safe? Everton have been awful for the majority of the season and the last three home games have glossed over another dire campaign. Board and FFP uncertainty mean he will probably stay but with supporters calling for his head two weeks ago, is it time for the club to be brave and try something new?

Simon replied: I don’t see anything changing on Sean Dyche until the club’s ownership situation is resolved Alex. Even if they had lost every game, who would make the decision on Dyche and where would the money come from the pay his compensation?

The Premier League are yet to sign off the 777 Partners deal, which clearly is a worry. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s co-ownership of Manchester United was put to them after the Everton deal and has already been signed off. It is stating the obvious to say the Premier League need to be absolutely certain there are no issues looming with any new owner. But until Everton have one, further problems will hang over the club.

I hope it gets sorted properly. Everton are one of England’s great names and their fans have shown huge loyalty. But other, better run, clubs have moved ahead of them and even with a new stadium, it is a long way back to the position they used to enjoy.

We asked for your views on Saturday's match between Everton and Brentford.

Here are some of your answers:

Everton fans

Lee: It wasn't a good game to watch, but it was what we needed to carry on in the Premier League. There needs to be a massive change in our identity as a team next season. If we keep the same squad and management, the same things will happen! We need a clean slate and new quality personnel.

Lucy: It wasn't the most beautiful game of football that I've ever witnessed from these boys, but I don't believe that is the most important aspect of our play at the moment. It's clear that all members of the team hold passion for our club and it makes me proud to be a member. Onwards and upwards I say - let the deductions spur us on.

Michael: We were great in defence. The need for a quality midfield and a couple of forwards is obvious. Jack Harrison is lacklustre at times and he seems to lack confidence. It's not just him, 19-year-old Youssef Chermiti needs a lot more experience as well. He makes mistakes and holds back too much. There are a couple of players that are like puppets with uncoordinated legs.

Mike: To achieve safety with three games to go, with a points deduction and this squad, is some feat. Dyche deserves immense credit because quite often the bench consists of two goalkeepers and two untried youngsters. Add to that the injuries and I doubt many managers could hold it together under the pressures he has had to deal with. He has earned the right to take us forward!

Brentford fans

Paul: We played like a team that was safe. I don't quite understand why Thomas Frank didn't start the same 11 players that beat Luton. I think Keane Lewis-Potter and Mikkel Damsgaard can count themselves very unlucky. Toney's heart isn't with the club anymore, he was poor and Wissa isn't the same player when he plays. Toney's value is dropping in every game he plays in.

Ralph: If it wasn't for Jordan Pickford, this game would have probably ended at least a draw or possibly an away win!

Offensively, Everton have been underwhelming at best with only Sheffield United scoring less goals than the Toffees this season

On the other hand, their defensive record has been exceptional, as shown on Saturday's Match of the Day episode.

Pundit Alan Shearer said: "With all of the uncertainty, with the new stadium and the new ownership, the way Sean Dyche has managed that situation has been incredible. He's doing an unbelievable job.

"They've only scored 37 goals, but defensively, they are very tough and mean. They don't give much away. What a job Sean Dyche has done."

Catch up on the rest of Saturday's analysis here

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch highlights of Sunday's games on Match of the Day 2 here

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full:

• Man Utd 1-1 Burnley

• Everton 1-0 Brentford

Everton may have to sell defender Jarrad Branthwaite to comply with Financial Fair Play rules, opening the door for a move to Manchester United. (Sun), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Everton boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to BBC Sport after securing the Toffees' Premier League status for another year: “Incredibly pleased and proud. They are a group of players who have had knocks all season.

"Four out of five clean sheets and wins, with all the mounting noise after the Chelsea game, is incredible. The mentality of the players is fantastic. I'm super pleased and very proud.

"It has been an exhausting week for many reasons, with highs from the big win on Wednesday. The emotion that goes into that, I wondered how the players would respond.

"With our xG, we have been questioned about how many times we haven’t won games. It has paid us back [now].

"They [the players] have had a massive week. There is a lot of pressure and intensity on the week and [whether] you can do it again. In the second half, we controlled the game pretty well.”

On the fact that Everton are mathematically safe from relegation now: "Yeah, of course, that old chestnut - 'You were safe and all that'.

"You were all desperate for Luton to win and for us to lose - this isn't my first rodeo."

James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford have been speaking to Sky Sports after confirming their Premier League status for next season with the 1-0 win against Brentford.

Defender James Tarkowski said: "It [the 6-0 defeat against Chelsea] was the toughest moment of the season. It has been amazing. It has been some week with three wins.

"Today was the toughest game of the three. The lads turned up again [and were] incredible. The work Idrissa Gueye gets through is incredible."

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford added: "Perfect. A big bounce-back from Chelsea. Three games to go and enjoy it [relegation survival].

"There's been a lot of pressure over the last two years, the deductions this year, [but] the lads dug in massively. A perfect week. Three wins and three clean sheets.

"I criticise myself, but I made some crucial saves tonight - the Toney one [stands out]."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Fulham midfielder Michael Brown has been discussing the Toffees' performance against Brentford on BBC Radio 5 Live: "It is not always the prettiest, it is not the most creative, but it is effective and it gets results.

"Everton were in a good position at the start of the season before the points deduction, it was a big blow and they had to recover and they have done so.

"A really good day for Sean Dyche and his team. It wasn't the greatest of games, with just the one shot on target, but they got the job done."