Sean Dyche described Everton’s 6-0 defeat at Chelsea as “arguably the worst of my career” as the Toffees’ relegation fears increased on a humbling night at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer continued his brilliant season with four goals for the home side with Nicolas Jackson and Alfie Gilchrist also getting on the scoresheet as Everton were swept aside.
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Dyche’s men remain in 16th place in the Premier League, two points above the drop zone with a game in hand on most of the teams around them.
The former Burnley boss told Evertontv: “[It was a] horrible defeat, arguably the worst of my career. I am 500 games in, 300 odd in the Premier League as a manager and that’s just an awful night.
“For our fans as well, we came with high expectations and actually started the game really well – exactly how we wanted to. We made them uncomfortable, we had a chance in the first minute or so – but you can’t defend like that.
“It’s unusual but we can’t defend like that. There’s no fight in the defending, there was no detail in the defending, no hard yards or tackling. It was bizarre, like shadow football for their goals. It was way off the mark, miles off the mark.
“The last time we were miles off was Villa away. The good thing was that gave us a stark reminder. We need to use this as a stark reminder – it certainly has been for me. I am looking at the players I am picking and I am going, ‘Right, okay there’s a reminder for me’.
“That’s nowhere near – absolutely nowhere near – good enough or acceptable – from me, either.”
Sean Dyche’s post-match reaction: pic.twitter.com/ooHyltiihv
— Everton (@Everton) April 15, 2024
A bad night for Everton was made worse by injuries to Seamus Coleman, Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson.
Dyche added: “It was a perfect storm tonight. Every mistake seemed to get punished, every goal seemed to go in. I think they had 14 efforts on goal, we know how many we have had, they scored six – and we got three injuries.
“That isn’t a good mix, it happens now and again in your career and lifetime in football. But that is as bad as a mix I have experienced, with the injuries.
“Jarrad, we hope, is minor, but we have to wait and see. Shay (Coleman) has pulled his groin, we don’t know yet and Patto’s looks a bit more serious. A hamstring injury, we are going to have to wait and see – let it settle tomorrow.”
