Everton manager Sean Dyche has called for his side to find a winning formula as they still search for their maiden Premier League win of the season.
The Blues currently sit 19th in the table after last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Leicester ensured a first point of the campaign, despite being on course for all three with around 20 minutes to play.
While things are still stuttering on the pitch, there seems to be more positivity off it with the recent news of the Friedkin Group reaching an agreement to become majority stakeholders at Everton.
The impending takeover was one of many topics Dyche was quizzed on ahead of Saturday’s clash with Crystal Palace, who like Everton are hoping to get up and running with a win.
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A new era
This weekend's game is the first league fixture since Monday's announcement that the Friedkin Group are set to take over from the ownership of Farhad Moshiri.
Everton's struggles from above had been well-documented with numerous sanctions threatening to derail their status as a top-flight club in the seasons previous.
The Toffees ownership has been a constant topic of conversation during Dyche's tenure, considering the uncertainty surrounding everyone connected with the club.
A new voice off the pitch is something the Everton boss believes has been much needed and can bring a positive change.
"From what I gather of the previous situations, there’s a long way to go to get everything to a final point," Dyche said.
"The early signs look favourable, so we’ll have to wait and see, but it certainly looks like a stronger situation than in the past.
“I’d imagine it’d probably clear up the change in the noise that surrounds Everton Football Club, certainly in its initial spell. Should it get over the line, then bringing that stability and the feel of stability after an up-and-down period for many reasons."
Despite the feel-good factor the takeover hopes to bring, it is unclear whether Dyche will be the man to lead Everton into their new era.
“We’ll have to wait and see. No one knows truly yet until either they put out what they project to the club, or they speak to me, and I put it out. But no one truly knows which way it’s going to go yet.”
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Attack improving, defence not so
Following a failure to score in each of their opening two games, the Toffees have scored five times in the three matches since - a record only bettered by Aston Villa, Liverpool and Manchester City.
The improvement going forwards hasn't been matched at the back however, with Everton conceding seven in the same timeframe - another league high.
Continuing with the statistics, all of those goals have been let in with the Blues being in a winning position.
Looking at all aspects, Dyche highlighted the improvements and recurring issues in his side's performances to date.
“The attack has been better, certainly in the last two or three games. We’re scoring and looking a real threat.
“There’s a knowledge base there of doing it. We know we’ve got to do it better and I thought there were strong signs in the last couple of games of that, and finding the open play to cause other teams’ trouble and look a threat.
“And then keeping the back door shut, which we did better against Leicester, I thought."
Dyche's men have dropped eight points from winning positions already this term - a figure not helped by defensive lapses and missed chances.
"I don’t think it’s helpful when you haven’t got that edge of killer instinct in both boxes, that’s not just looking at the front of the pitch," he said.
“Taking responsibility at the back is always talked about, what about the front? What about getting in the right areas? What about making that pass? Making that finish, putting it in the corner rather than over the bar, these are all clinical details.
“I think there’s better signs but those better signs have got to bring wins and I think that’s the biggest challenge, getting that winning edge back.”
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Palace game a high-pressure one
Everton's below par start to the season sees them with one point after six games played, a tally hoped to be extended come Saturday evening.
Like the Blues however, Palace come into this fixture as a side yet to taste league victory this campaign and so prove a tough test.
The South London outfit have taken three draws from their five matches played and unlike Everton, come into this game with a winning feeling after their 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over QPR in midweek.
Facing a fellow struggler can increase the stakes, something that Dyche believes his side can deal with.
“We’re at that stage at the minute you know after a tough start to find that way of winning, to find that way of keeping calm about the situation and delivering performances.
“The importance of every game is quite obvious but there are some which you look at and go ‘all right that would be considerably favourable to get a win from’, of course.
Everton's pre-match edge on Palace comes in the form of previous outings, with the Toffees losing just once in their last 19 head-to-head encounters.
“I think there’s expectation always so I don’t think that changes at Everton. The stats and facts are favourable, I always make it clear to the players that there’s no guarantee to that.”
“A favourable situation doesn’t make the outcome any easier, they’re still a bonafide Premier League football club and at the end of last season being spoken about very positively as we were ourselves. Both of us haven’t got off to the starts we want I’m sure of that."
