Sean Dyche says Manchester City ‘feel’ has changed ahead of Everton visit | Everton

Sean Dyche believes Manchester City’s dramatic slump has changed the “feeling” around the Premier League champions and given their opponents more belief.

The Everton manager accepts his side face a significant task at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day against “one of the best ever” managers in Pep Guardiola and a squad of world-class talent. But he says teams are unlikely to be so daunted when they visit the Premier League champions from the last four years following City’s run of nine defeats in 12 games. That collapse, Dyche argued, evokes memories of Manchester United losing their fear factor after the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.

“You go there to win anyway, but when the facts and statistics start to change, they add belief,” he said.

“That’s just how sports work. If a team starts to suffer a little then it adds to the belief of whoever is going there. Remember under Sir Alex when people went to Old Trafford? Even when they were down, you’d think they’d score in Fergie time. But when it started to break down a bit, people started to think they could try. It’s not a team or a result, it’s down to that feeling and that’s what changes. If we can take advantage of it, that’s great, but it’s not that easy. They are still a top class bunch of players.”

Dyche claims City’s problems underline the strength of the Premier League following an era of sustained success under Guardiola. “The challenge of the Premier League means that sometimes it can even happen to the superpower clubs. That’s how powerful the Premier League is. Man City with their strength and depth and their fantastic manager still find it difficult against everyone. They haven’t for years but they are now, and that’s because the Premier League is a strong league. They’re great at what they do, apart from one or two injuries, one or two awkward results, and it suddenly looks and feels different.”

Dyche expects several Everton contract issues – including his own – to be resolved before the end of the season following the takeover by the Friedkin Group. Everton have eight senior players in the final year of their deals, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Idrissa Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Dyche and director of football Kevin Thelwell are also out of contract next summer.

“These guys need to come in and get an overview of who they’re working with,” Dyche said. “I don’t imagine them not doing anything until the end of the season, for me or players or anything. They’re well aware that we have to keep things going, but I also don’t expect them to just one day say, ‘ Here is a 10-year contract.’ You have to earn the right. They will do their homework too.”