Everton's board of directors are not expected to attend the club's match with Arsenal.
They missed the previous match at Goodison Park after the club issued a statement in which it claimed they had been advised not to amid security concerns.
That advice, which following the defeat to Southampton it emerged had been based on information shared with but not compiled alongside Merseyside Police, is said to have remained unchanged. As a result, it is anticipated the board will not be present for the first match of new manager Sean Dyche's reign.
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None of Everton’s board, consisting of chairman Bill Kenwright, chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale, finance director Grant Ingles and former player Graeme Sharp, a non-executive director, were at the previous home game against Southampton on January 14 after a statement issued by the club claimed they had been advised it was not safe for them to attend.
Several members of the board were then present for the following match at West Ham United’s London Stadium on January 21 where they were joined by director of footbal Kevin Thelwell – who had been at the Southampton home game – and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.
After the Southampton game a peaceful 'sit-in' protest was supported by several thousand supporters as part of calls for changes to the running of the club.
Groups of Everton fans were holding a demonstration march to Goodison Park before kick-off today, with a sit-in protest scheduled for after the final whistle. Despite record-breaking levels of spending under Moshiri, Everton’s on the field fortunes have regressed significantly under his ownership since 2016 and Dyche becomes the eighth manager of his tenure.
A significant police presence could be seen outside Goodison this morning, with what appeared to be a higher number of police vehicles than usual on Spellow Lane ahead of the game.
Substantial numbers of fans joined the pre-match protest march today, which unfolded without any problems as banners and chants made the feelings of those involved clear.
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