Sean Dyche hoping Everton can cap significant week with West Ham win
It's the Blues' first match since their Premier League 10-point deduction was reduced to six points
Last updated 2nd Mar 2024
Everton manager Sean Dyche is hoping to cap what could be a significant week in the club's season with a Premier League win at home to West Ham.
A draw at Brighton - albeit it being denied a first victory since mid-December by a last-minute equaliser - was followed by the reduction of their 10-point penalty for breaching profitability and sustainability rules to six points.
That lifted them out of the relegation zone and they could move further away from danger with a long-awaited win.
"Arguably over the course of the game you could argue you'd accept the point at Brighton, we all know that, but with the points coming back, adding a win would make it a very good week," said Dyche.
"We have to get it right, especially against teams like West Ham coming up here."
West Ham were the last team Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored against in late October and he is now 20 matches without a goal.
Every week Dyche has to face questions about why the striker is struggling but every week the answer remains the same.
"I think we have to go into the game in the right state of mind and I think we are in the right place as a team," he added.
"We need to find those defining moments and they become ever-important when you haven't been winning.
"It is about finding different ways of creating chances but I think we have done that considerably well over the season.
"The moment of truth is someone putting it in the net. They (the players) know that and they don't need reminding about it from me every day.
"And you can still score from set-pieces and we have been strong at that.
"They know where it's at but it is our responsibility to keep getting the team to forge the chances and the higher quality chances give you an easier opportunity to score."
Beto, a ÂŁ26million arrival from Udinese, has not provided the adequate back-up expected with just one Premier League goal three months ago, but just five of his 21 league appearances have been starts.
Fellow summer signing Youssef Chermiti has made just nine league appearances - all as substitute - and despite two goals for the under-21s in midweek, Dyche accepts the 19-year-old is not quite ready for the highest level.
"He's still learning. He is getting the odd game here and there," said the Toffees boss.
"He is a development player and it wasn't originally the thinking he would be that close to the first team but he has had to be around it because of the lack of numbers.
"But he still has a lot of growth in him and I can see it."
While Everton's appeal has now provided some clarity to their league position, the club still have an outstanding charge following the submission of last season's accounts.
Another independent commission hearing is set to convene in the next couple of weeks, with a decision expected next month.
The club will argue they are facing 'double jeopardy' as the three-year PSR period takes into account two seasons for which they have already been sanctioned and, as a result, interim chief executive Colin Chong said they are preparing a "robust" defence.
"Premier League rules and legal guidance does not permit me, or the club, to share any details at this stage of the second commission hearing, or the arguments that will be put forward," he wrote on Everton's website.
"However, I assure you we will prepare the most robust case possible in our defence."