Everton boss Sean Dyche not convinced there is a good time to face Liverpool
Liverpool may be back in their all too familiar 12.30pm kick-off slot this Saturday, but Everton boss Sean Dyche is not convinced there is a good time to face a team which the Toffees have a terrible record against.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have regularly been placed in the 12.30pm kick-off time after international breaks, with The Athletic reporting that it has happened 13 times since 2016/17, eight more than any other side in the Premier League.
A win over Wolves in September was the first victory in seven matches at that kick-off time as Reds fans started to get a bit flustered about the early starts.
Dyche Not Taking Anything From Kick-Off Time
Dyche is not taking anything from the time of the game this weekend, though, knowing how difficult it will be for his Everton side against a team they have beaten just once since 2010.
On whether it is a good time to face Liverpool, Dyche said: ‘I’ve been asked that many times, yeah, yeah. Their record is very strong, they’re a very good outfit, we know that. Our record needs changing there, we know that. It’s been a long time with not many wins, but it’s a tough place to go.’
‘I don’t think we’ll be listening to the noise around it, we’re trying not to, but there is a lot of noise, rightly so, big game, but it’s more about our focus to get through that and concentrate on our performances. I think generally they’ve been strong, but we are taking on a top side.’
Rigours Of The Schedule For Elite Clubs
On the rigours of the schedule for elite clubs, he added: ‘The Premier League programme is a challenge. I have had one season with Burnley with Europa. You have to adapt and change your routine for maximum performance.’
Everton have won two of their last three league games in an improvement in form after a very poor start to the campaign and they will be hoping to repeat that one win they have managed over Liverpool in 13 years.
It came in February 2021 at Anfield, when Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees side beat their local rivals 2-0.
Liverpool Fans Flustered Over Early Starts
Liverpool fans have been flustered over the early starts for their team after international breaks. The Reds have only won one of their last seven matches at 12.30pm kick-off time and will be hoping for a better result this Saturday.
For Everton, they will be hoping to repeat their success from February 2021 when they beat Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield. It was their first win over their local rivals in 13 years and they will be hoping to repeat that success this weekend.
Sean Dyche is aware of the difficulty of the task ahead and is not taking anything from the kick-off time this Saturday. He knows that his side need to focus on their performances and try to turn around their record against Liverpool.
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