Sean Dyche has called on Everton to show the same positive reaction to their second points deduction of the season as the first.
Having seen November’s 10-point penalty for breaching spending rules reduced to six on appeal, the Toffees were penalised a further two points this week, dropping them back to within two points of the Premier League relegation zone.
Everton’s best spell of the season came shortly after the initial sanction, with the Toffees’ four-match winning run including a 2-0 success against Monday’s opponents Chelsea.
Manager Dyche said: “The last time we got a knock everyone pulled together, and I think that’s important to remind yourself. The fans were terrific in a new reality. There’s another one now.
“Everyone went, ‘hang on a minute, the badge is more important than anything’, and I still feel the same. Myself, the players, the staff all pulling together, and the fans as well to make sure we look after ourselves and we look after the club.
“The restart is Chelsea. A reaction to the news is important, a positive reaction. The time for fault and blame is gone. It’s the way society works, everyone wants fault and blame for everything but we’ve got to park it.
“What’s done is done. We’ve just got to stay in line, stay connected, and take on the next challenge. The club’s had a few knocks recently, let’s all pull together and get it done.”
Everton will appeal against the latest sanction and, while Dyche does not want to dwell on what has happened, a sense of injustice remains.
A perceived lack of consistency has frustrated club and fans alike, and Dyche said: “I think it’s difficult because of the confusion.
“I don’t think it’s just Evertonians. I travel a lot and football fans generally come up to me and say, ‘What’s that all about?’ They’re confused by it, we’re a bit confused by it, I think that’s fair to say.
“But, whether we are or we’re not, there’s still a job in hand and the focus has to go back to the current situation.
“Therefore our focus is on the next round of games coming up. I spoke to the players after it, reminded the staff about it, the truth of the moment, which is to stay focused on the job in hand.”
Ongoing doubt, meanwhile, surrounds the club’s proposed takeover by 777 Partners, with a further delay reported this week.
Dyche sees no reason to panic, saying: “I’m certainly not in that world but I can only imagine buying a football club’s not an easy business. There must be so many different things to go through and so many checks that have to be done.
“It’s taking more time, that’s the way it goes. I certainly am not involved in that level of what we do here. The rest is just a wait-and-see situation.”
The points deduction made last weekend’s win over Burnley, their first in the league since December, look even more important, with goal-shy Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting his second in as many games.
There is a fitness doubt over the striker for Monday’s game after he missed training on Thursday with a hamstring issue.
But Dyche expects him to be fit, saying: “He’s just got a minor niggly hamstring, which we’re just being ultra careful with. But he thinks he’s on top of it and the medical team are as well.”
Arteta thanks Arsenal fans for their patience after Gunners miss out on title
Mikel Arteta thanked Arsenal fans for their patience after the Gunners missed out on the Premier League title.
Arsenal headed into the final game on Sunday needing a victory over Everton and a Manchester City slip-up at home to West Ham to claim their first title in 20 years.
Arsenal did their part as Kai Havertz netted a late winner to see off Everton, but City were also triumphant in their game as Pep Guardiola's men secured a fourth straight Premier League title while ensuring the Gunners finish runners-up for a second straight season.
Following the game, Arteta addressed the Arsenal fans at the Emirates Stadium, praising them for their support and looking ahead to the future.
Arteta told the crowd: "All this is happening because you started believing, you started to be patient and started to understand what we tried to do. All the credit has to go to the players and the staff.
"Don't be satisfied. We want much more than that and we’re going to get it."
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard also spoke to the fans, and though he was downcast over finishing second behind City again, the Norway international also believes the club has an exciting future ahead.
"I think we're all a little bit disappointed," Odegaard said. "We've been fighting so long for the big dream. We were so close.
"I'm so proud of the boys, so proud of the team and the fans. I'm so proud of the progress we are making.
"We've changed the club, and I think you all believe in us now."
Man City's Foden lauded as 'main man' for Guardiola by Richards
Manchester City were once again indebted to Phil Foden as they lifted the Premier League title on Sunday, and Micah Richards believes the midfielder is now Pep Guardiola's "main man".
Foden cannoned an early opener past West Ham's Alphonse Areola to set City on their way, before doubling his tally and the hosts' lead after 18 minutes at Etihad Stadium.
Indeed, Foden has scored six goals from outside the box in the Premier League this season, the most of any player, and the most ever by a Man City player in a single campaign.
It is also the most by a player for any team in the competition since the 2018-19 season, when Christian Eriksen scored six, but Foden's heroics stretch further than his long-range shooting.
The England midfielder helped City become the first team in English top-flight history to win the title in four consecutive seasons, having won the league in 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Former City and England defender Richards believes Foden is now the key for his boyhood club, after his efforts in the 3-1 victory over West Ham.
Shortly before City lifted the Premier League trophy on home turf, Richards told Sky Sports: "It is ridiculous and unbelievable!
"It makes it sweeter that someone homegrown is a big part of it. Phil Foden has become the main man of this team, what Pep has created is unbelievable."
City went 35 matches unbeaten in all competitions (W29 D6), the longest run ever by a Premier League team, to secure the title.
That run ensured Guardiola's side pipped Arsenal, whose 2-1 victory over Everton on the final day mattered for little, to another top-flight crown.
"It is a brilliant young team and there is more to come at Arsenal," Richards added.
"Kai Havertz has done well and Gabriel Jesus has probably not played at a level which we expected when he left Man City.
"If you're looking on how they can improve they need to get a striker who can score all type of goals, even when Erling Haaland has not played at his best he has scored goals."
This triumph for City means Guardiola has clinched his sixth Premier League title – he is just the fourth manager to win as many as six English top-flight titles, along with Alex Ferguson (13), George Ramsay and Bob Paisley (both six).
Brentford 2-4 Newcastle United: Magpies secure seventh spot in Premier League
Newcastle United kept their European hopes alive as they ended the 2023-2024 Premier League season with a thrilling 4-2 victory at Brentford.
The Magpies will qualify for the Europa Conference League if Manchester City beat cross-city rivals Manchester United in Saturday's FA Cup final.
After a positive start from Brentford, the visitors took the lead on 21 minutes through Harvey Barnes' header, and their advantage was soon doubled through Jacob Murphy.
Alexander Isak slotted beyond the goalkeeper to make it 3-0 before half-time, but the hosts responded after the interval thanks to goals from Vitaly Janelt and Yoane Wissa.
Bruno Guimaraes got Newcastle's fourth in the 78th minute to ensure the Geordies claimed the three points as they end the season in seventh place, whilst Brentford finish in 16th.
The Bees thought they had made the perfect start inside two minutes but after a VAR check Ivan Toney’s effort was ruled out by referee Simon Hooper for offside.
Toney continued to search for a goal against his former club but was denied by the outstretched leg of Nick Pope.
It was Newcastle, though, who should have taken the lead before the 10-minute mark as Isak set up an unmarked Joelinton from close range, but the Brazilian failed to convert.
The visitors then broke the deadlock on 21 minutes, with Barnes darting into the six-yard box to meet a delightful delivery by Guimaraes and head the visitors ahead.
Sean Longstaff thought he had quickly doubled their advantage, only to be flagged offside, but Murphy was not denied when he latched onto Isak's exquisite pass across the penalty area to make it 2-0.
Just two minutes later, Isak grabbed his 21st goal of the season when he fired past Mark Flekken.
The Brentford stopper ensured Isak did not extend Newcastle's advantage further with a smart stop to deny the Swedish international before half-time.
The home side responded after the interval and Janelt reduced the deficit, striking home after being picked out by Wissa.
Pope clawed away Toney’s header before Wissa curled a superb effort past the goalkeeper to set up a tense finale for the visitors.
The nerves, though, were soon settled when Guimaraes followed up a free-kick to ensure the points returned to Tyneside.
Brentford's home defence breached
Brentford end the season comfortably above the bottom three, after arguably their toughest campaign yet in the Premier League, having contended with key players and the talk of a potential relegation battle at the turn of the year.
The Bees could not finish on a high - instead they looked beaten before the half-time whistle, although they scored twice in the second half to test Newcastle's resolve.
Going into the match with a recent impressive home record, including having kept a clean sheet in the past three, Newcastle's attacking capabilities were too much for the hosts to handle.
It means Thomas Frank will have to wait to earn his 100th win in charge of the club, whilst Toney ends the season having not scored in his past 12 league games. However, Mathias Jensen did become the third Brentford player to reach 100 Premier League appearances.
Toon await news of European qualification
It has been an entertaining season for Newcastle, with more than 80 goals scored and over 60 goals conceded.
And the entertainment continued here. After being relieved that Toney's early goal was chalked off for offside, the Toon established a three-goal lead at the break mainly thanks to the individual brilliance of Isak.
It was a rare win on their travels for Eddie Howe’s side, whose patchy away form has proved costly in their quest to earn a top-six finish, with St James' Park providing the majority of their points.
The Magpies will now have a close eye on next weekend's FA Cup final between Manchester rivals United and City.
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