Arsenal vs Everton: Sean Dyche's final conference of the season

LiverpoolWorld

George Priestman reporting for LiverpoolWorld at Finch Farm.

Transcript

00:00 This is George Preston, full and full world, reporting after the final press conference

00:05 of the season with Sean Dierge ahead of their trip to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this

00:08 weekend. It's been an incredibly long season, full of drama, off the pitch scandals, points

00:13 deductions and ongoing takeover and financial issues. But finally it comes to an end and

00:19 Everton have the luxury of being safe from relegation and they will be fighting for 15th

00:24 and 16th place and potentially could spoil the title party for Arsenal.

00:30 Dierge confirmed there is one major absence and that's Jack Harrison who is out with a

00:36 suspected hamstring injury. The Leeds United loanee may have just played his final game

00:40 for the club in their last game against Jefford United at Goodison Park. It's unclear whether

00:46 he'll return to the club next season, whether it's on loan or in a permanent deal. But he

00:51 is out of this one and the only other doubt is Andre Gomes. But Dierge hopes he could

00:55 be fit for this one and again he's another player who could have played his final game

00:58 last week. He's out of contract this summer and fans may have seen the last of him in

01:03 an Everton shirt. Other than that, the only absentees are Vitaly Mikhalenko, Nathan Patterson

01:08 and Dele Alli.

01:09 In terms of Arsenal, they boast a fully fit squad except Jurrien Timber who recently returned

01:15 from an ACL injury and played a couple of times for the U21s. That's the only doubt

01:19 for Arsenal. They will have a fully strong side ready to take on Everton to get three

01:24 points that they need to ensure that they have a chance of winning the Premier League

01:28 title. Of course, Manchester City play West Ham at home and they are two points ahead

01:32 of Arsenal. City will be looking to win the game and put the title to bed but Arsenal

01:37 will do everything in their power to get three points against Everton this weekend.

01:41 At the end of the press conference, I forced him to answer questions about the summer and

01:46 the fact that they are going to be losing potentially a lot of players to free agents,

01:50 the likes of Andre Gomes, Dele Alli, Idrissa Ghana-Gay, Ashley Young. These are all players

01:56 that are contract this summer and of course the low knees of Arnald, Dan Dumas and Jack

01:59 Harrison who both are set to depart this summer. So, Everton could be looking up to five or

02:04 six or seven departures this summer and that's not even getting to the fact that they might

02:08 have to sell because of financial issues and that's something that Dyche alluded to. He

02:12 said that he spoke to Kevin Fell and that they are braced this summer to lose key players

02:17 and the fact that people are going to come after their star figures in the likes of Jared

02:21 Brantway and Amadou Hnaoua are their key assets and they have been targeted by the likes of

02:26 Manchester United and fees of £80 million have been thrown around for Brantway and Arnold

02:32 as well, £50-60 million with Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as well. So, it's very likely

02:37 that we will see bids come in for these players and Everton may have to accept them because

02:42 of the financial situation that they are in.

02:45 In terms of stats ahead of Everton's trip to Arsenal, their record away at the Gunners

02:50 is absolutely horrific across the Premier League era. Looking back at the records, they've

02:55 only won twice away at Arsenal across that time and once in 2021 and in 1996. So, the

03:05 size of the task ahead of them is completely huge. Fortunately, they're not playing for

03:09 anything. They're happy where they are being safe from relegation after such a difficult

03:13 season. But Dyche claimed that obviously the mentality and the focus is there to go and

03:18 get a win and continue their good form to end the season on a high. But as mentioned,

03:22 Mikel Arteta's team will be absolutely gunning for three points, which will make it a very

03:26 interesting game at the weekend. Everton fans can finally take a breath after what has been

03:31 a long and arduous season. But Premier League safety is confirmed and there is somewhat

03:37 hope for the future going into the summer.

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