Despite 18th place: How Dyche’s defensive tactics can lead Everton to stay in the league

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Toffees in focus

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Everton FC’s 2-0 defeat at reigning treble winners Manchester City last weekend (go to the match report) extended the Toffees’ winless streak in the Premier League to seven games (go to the form table). As a result, Sean Dyche’s team spent last week in relegation place 18. As disappointing as this snapshot is for the club and supporters, there are also facts around Goodison Park that give hope for staying in the league.

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34 Gabriel Magalhães | Arsenal | Market value: €60 million

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34 Kevin De Bruyne | Man City | Market value: €60 million

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34 João Palhinha | Fulham | Market value: €60 million

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34 Ollie Watkins | Aston Villa | Market value: €60 million

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34 Douglas Luiz | Aston Villa | Market value: €60 million

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34 Moussa Diaby | Aston Villa | Market value: €60 million

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26 Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | Market value: €65 million

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26 Lucas Paquetá | West Ham | Market value: €65 million

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26 Cristian Romero | Tottenham | Market value: €65 million

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26 Alexis Mac Allister | Liverpool | Market value: €65 million

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26 Darwin Núñez | Liverpool | Market value: €65 million

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26 Jérémy documentary | Man City | Market value: €65 million

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26 Rasmus Højlund | Man United | Market value: €65 million

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26 Evan Ferguson | Brighton | Market value: €65 million

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19 Bruno Fernandes | Man United | Market value: €70 million

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19 Jack Grealish | Man City | Market value: €70 million

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19 James Maddison | Tottenham | Market value: €70 million

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19 Gabriel Jesus | Arsenal | Market value: €70 million

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19 Marcus Rashford | Man United | Market value: €70 million

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19 Trent Alexander Arnold | Liverpool | Market value: €70 million

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19 Alexander Isak | Newcastle | Market value: €70 million

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15 Luis Diaz | Liverpool | Market value: €75 million

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15 Christopher Nkunku | Chelsea | Market value: €75 million

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15 Dominik Szoboszlai | Liverpool | Market value: €75 million

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15 William Saliba | Arsenal | Market value: €75 million

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11 Bernardo Silva | Man City | Market value: €80 million

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11 Rúben Dias | Man City | Market value: €80 million

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11 Enzo Fernández | Chelsea | Market value: €80 million

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11 Josko Gvardiol | Man City | Market value: €80 million

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9 Bruno Guimarães | Newcastle | Market value: €85 million

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9 Gabriel Martinelli | Arsenal | Market value: €85 million

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6 Martin Odegaard | Arsenal | Market value: €90 million

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6 Julian Alvarez | Man City | Market value: €90 million

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6 Moises Caicedo | Chelsea | Market value: €90 million

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3 Rodri | Man City | Market value: €110 million

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3 Declan Rice | Arsenal | Market value: €110 million

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3 Phil Foden | Man City | Market value: €110 million

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2 Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | Market value: €120 million

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1 Erling Haaland | Man City | Market value: €180 million

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After all, the team from Merseyside kept the English champions at bay for 71 minutes on matchday 24 before Erling Haaland scored from a corner to give the Skyblues the lead. In fact, it’s perhaps no surprise that the Norwegian superstar only managed to score his 16th goal of the season from a set-piece in this game. Everton’s defensive record in open play is remarkable: in 24 league games to date, Dyche’s team have only conceded 15 goals out of the game – no team has better statistics in this regard in the current Premier League season, only title contenders Arsenal and Liverpool are on the same level as the toffees.

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Everton have currently conceded 32 goals in the league. For comparison: Table 17. Luton have conceded 45 goals so far, the two teams under Everton – Burnley and Sheffield United – already have 50 and 60 respectively. Dyche’s team not only claims the best defensive record in the bottom half of the table, they also have the fifth best defense in the English upper house. And that fact alone could save the club from relegation in May. The initially meager result of 19 points on paper is primarily due to the 10-point deduction that was imposed on Everton in December (background). The current standings in the table do not reflect the potential that lies in the squad worth around 337 million euros.

If you exclude the point deduction, Dyche’s team scored an average of 1.21 points per game this season. That’s the second-best return of any team in the bottom half of the table – level with Fulham and just behind Chelsea’s 1.35 points per game. If one assumes that the team can maintain this average, not least thanks to its stable defense, it would end the season with 36 points. A record that, looking back, is usually enough to ensure relegation in the Premier League. So will Everton FC be able to avoid relegation? It will probably be close, but the numbers speak for it.

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Petar Musa | Benfica -> FC Dallas | Transfer fee: €10 million

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Market value: €8 million

Mohamed Ali Cho | Real Sociedad -> OGC Nice | Transfer fee: €10 million

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Ernest Muci | Legia Warsaw -> Besiktas | Transfer fee: €10 million

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Tommaso Baldanzi | FC Empoli -> AS Roma | Transfer fee: €10 million

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Market value: €15 million

Quentin Merlin | FC Nantes -> Olympique Marseille | Transfer fee: €10 million

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Market value: €10 million

Alidu Seidu | Clermont Foot -> Stade Rennes | Transfer fee: €11 million

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Market value: €7 million

Orel Mangala | Nottingham -> Olympique Lyon | Rental fee: €11.7 million

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Market value: €22 million | OL has a purchase option worth €17.5 million

Otavio | Famalicao -> FC Porto | Transfer fee: €12 million

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Kevin | Palmeiras -> Shakhtar | Transfer fee: €12 million

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Marlon Gomes | Vasco -> Shakhtar | Transfer fee: €12 million

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Market value: €6 million

Santiago Castro | Vélez Sarsfield -> Bologna | Transfer fee: €12 million

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Market value: €7 million

Poison Orban | KAA Gent -> Lyon | Transfer fee: €12 million

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Market value: €15 million

Manfred Ugalde | Twente -> Spartak Moscow | Transfer fee: €13 million

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Market value: €5 million

Claudio Echeverri | River Plate -> Man City | Transfer fee: €14.5 million

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Market value: €12 million (on loan from River Plate until December)

Nicolas de la Cruz | River Plate -> Flamengo | Transfer fee: €14.5 million

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Market value: €14 million

Arthur | Palmeiras -> Zenit | Transfer fee: €15 million

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Market value: €10 million

Azor Matusiwa | Stade Reims -> Stade Rennes | Transfer fee: €15.5 million

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Market value: €10 million

Luiz Henrique | Real Betis -> Botafogo | Transfer fee: €16 million

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Market value: €12 million

Malick Fofana | KAA Gent -> Lyon | Transfer fee: €17 million

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Cyril Ngonge | Hellas Verona -> Napoli | Transfer fee: €18 million

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Marcos Leonardo | Santos -> Benfica | Transfer fee: €18 million

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Market value: €25 million

Arthur Vermeeren | Antwerp -> Atlético | Transfer fee: €18 million

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Market value: €30 million

Gabriel Moscardo | Corinthians -> PSG | Transfer fee: €20 million

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Market value: €15 million (on loan from Corinthians until June)

Lucas Beraldo | Sao Paulo -> PSG | Transfer fee: €20 million

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Market value: €15 million

Adam Wharton | Blackburn -> Crystal Palace | Transfer fee: €21.1 million

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Market value: €10 million

Renan Lodi | Marseille -> Al-Hilal | Transfer fee: €23 million

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Market value: €20 million

Eljif Elmas | Napoli -> RB Leipzig | Transfer fee: €24 million

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Market value: €24 million

Radu Drăgușin | Genoa -> Tottenham | Transfer fee: €25 million

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Sacha Boey | Galatasaray -> FC Bayern | Transfer fee: €30 million

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Victor Roque | Athletico -> Barça | Transfer fee: €40 million

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