Frank Lampard has officially been sacked as Everton manager, meaning the hunt for his replacement is now underway.
After a disappointing 2-0 defeat at West Ham United, Everton were left sitting 19th in the Premier League table, with the loss ultimately proving to be the final straw for Lampard.
A number of names have emerged as potential candidates to succeed the former England star, including two-time interim Blues boss Duncan Ferguson. Ex-Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has also been linked with the job along with former Burnley boss Sean Dyche, while Ralph Hasenhuttl has emerged as a contender after being sacked by Southampton in November.
So, out of Dyche, Ferguson, Bielsa and Hasenhuttl, who could be the best replacement for Lampard? We simulated the remainder of the season with all four managers in charge to find out.
Dyche, Ferguson, Bielsa and Hasenhuttl as new Everton boss
To set up this simulation, we used Football Manager 2023 to arrange for each manager to join Everton before their clash with Arsenal on February 4. We then simulated the remainder of the 2022/23 season to see how each could perform.
Sean Dyche as Everton manager
After 10 years in charge at Burnley, Dyche was sacked in April last year before the Clarets were relegated from the Premier League. The Englishman hasn't returned to management since, but when hired as the new Everton boss on Football Manager 2023, the 51-year-old managed to secure their safety in the division.
Dyche helped the Blues end the season in 17th place with 37 points, four more than Bournemouth in 18th and one less than Leeds in 16th. After losing 6-0 to Arsenal in his opening game, it looked set to be a tough stint.
But Dyche led Everton to four wins and three draws in their next nine games, pushing them out of the relegation places Their impressive form quickly dropped off as they lost five and drew one in their next six, but two wins toward the end of the season against relegation rivals sealed survival.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Football Manager 23 put together an overall best Everton XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what Dyche's best XI looked like:
Full Everton best XI: (4-4-2): Pickford; Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Gray, Iwobi, Gueye, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin, Maupay.
Duncan Ferguson as Everton manager
A club legend, Ferguson returned for his third stint as Everton's manager in the simulation. Unfortunately, it was not anywhere near as successful as the past two, and the 51-year-old failed to keep the club up as they were relegated to the Championship.
Despite a decent end to the season in terms of results, the Blues finished 19th in the Premier League table, with Ferguson's failure to win on the final day of the season seeing his side remain in the bottom three. Victory for Southampton against Liverpool secured their safety, with West Ham joining Everton and Nottingham Forest in the drop.
On arrival, there was no new manager bounce under Ferguson, with the Blues losing four games in a row. His team's best run of form came at the end of the season, when they won three and drew two of their final eight games, but it wasn't enough.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Football Manager 23 put together an overall best Everton XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what Ferguson's best XI looked like:
Full Everton best XI: (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Coady, Mina, Mykolenko; Onana, Iwobi, Gueye; Gordon, Maupay, McNeil.
Marcelo Bielsa as Everton manager
Bielsa has remained out of management after being sacked by Leeds in February last year. But he has been linked with a return to the game since the Everton role became vacant. But, if his results in the simulation are anything to go off, Blues fans will be begging the 67-year-old stays away from Goodison Park.
Everton finished in 20th place with Bielsa in charge in the simulation, picking up just 14 more points than they currently have. Bielsa's side had to wait until the beginning of April for their first victory in the Premier League, and only two more followed, the game after, and then the final match of the season.
The Blues failed to score in their first seven games under Bielsa, losing five and drawing two in that time. Out of the 18 matches he Argentine was in charge of, the Blues were unable to get on the scoresheet in 12 of them.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Football Manager 23 put together an overall best Everton XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what Bielsa's best XI looked like:
Full Everton best XI: (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Onana, Iwobi, Gueye; Gordon, Calvert-Lewin, McNeil.
Ralph Hasenhuttl as Everton manager
The most recently sacked manager on the list, Hasenhuttl was relieved of his duties as Southampton's boss due to their poor start to the season. But, as Everton's boss in the simulation, the Austrian managed the best results, leading the club to a 16th-place finish.
Everton won eight out of 18 games with Hasenhuttl in charge, with three wins in their final four matches of the season securing their safety. The 55-year-old had a tough start as he waited six games for his first victory, but five wins and one draw between March and April put the Blues in a strong position, with Hasenhuttl winning the manager of the month award for March following three wins from three with zero goals conceded.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Football Manager 23 put together an overall best Everton XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what Hasenhuttl's best XI looked like:
Full Everton best XI: (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Gueye, Onana; Gordon, Iwobi, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin.
Overall, FM23 predicts that Hasenhuttl could be the best fit for Everton. Sean Dyche also secured safety. But Marcelo Bielsa struggled the most, with his football not suiting the Blues who struggled in front of goal and finished bottom of the league.
Who do you think should be the next Everton manager? Let us know in the comments below!
