Sean Dyche says Everton ’s task in their final game is simple: “Give the fans what they deserve.”
The Blues are hoping - and praying - the power of Goodison will save them from the horrors of the drop, and the manager insisted it is time to repay the passionate faith of the support on a fraught afternoon of relegation tension.
Dyche knows there is a lot of anger about owner Farhad Moshiri’s eccentric handling of the club from the fanbase, with many campaigning to force change at the top.
But that won’t stop them from producing a passionate, seething support against Bournemouth on Sunday, where victory will guarantee Everton Premier League safety, and condemn both Leicester and Leeds to the drop.
And the manager said: “I don’t want to patronise the fans. I haven’t been here long enough to understand the depth of Evertonians, and the complexities of it, but I’ve learnt very quickly they have backed us fantastically well.
“I’d never question them - their incredible affection for the club and the desire to do well is there, so the team has to respond to that, and give them something back.
“They’ve been through it this last season unfortunately, but all they can do is back us now - in the stadium or from afar, and the message for the team is ‘stay tuned to what Evertonians are, and that is people who care about their club like supporters should.”
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There has been talk of more protests after the game, whether Everton survive or not, but Dyche is adamant that the atmosphere at Goodison will be one of the most powerful in world football on Sunday.
And he said: “We have to use that feeling in the stadium - We won’t worry about anything else that’s happening off the pitch…there won’t be much to worry about anywhere else, because of the noise around us about what’s going on.
“So we have to use that, and we have to give it back to the fans. That is the message.”
Dyche was also dismissive of reports which suggested that Moshiri has been looking for a new manager, even possibly this summer. He insisted he is focusing on one thing only - winning this massive game - but he added: “It’s fair to say they’re interesting reports…! I don’t know where they come from, but good businesses should always be about succession planning, and I have no problem with that.
“Businesses worldwide, who knows what is going to happen next? So everyone should be succession planning. If that was the case that is the way it goes, but I certainly wouldn’t be too worried about that."
Dyche confirmed he will be without key striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin for this ‘cup final’ where winning is absolutely everything, and right back Nathan Patterson is also out, but Vitalii Mykolenko has a chance of returning.
