Everton's Sean Dyche frustrated as Bournemouth's success overshadows Toffees' struggle

The two sides meet in the Premier League on Saturday with the Cherries a relatively healthy 13th in the table, while Everton face a relegation scrap.

Yet there would be just a place between the sides had the Toffees not been deducted six points for breaching the competition's financial regulations.

Dyche said: "They had a really tough start, then they came through a really strong spell of results. Then they had a quieter spell and then popped up with another couple of good results.

"They've turned into a decent outfit. They've worked hard at their game, as have we in different ways. Obviously, with the points added on, we'd be similar positions.

"But there lies the truth of a story. Bournemouth are being rightly so respected for the season they're having and we're being questioned.

"Well, if we didn't have the points taken away, we wouldn't be getting questions.

"But the facts are that it's still a tough game. It's a Premier League game, and we have to take it on wisely and be ready to go and perform."

Exacerbating the situation for Dyche – apart from the potential of a further points penalty for an additional rules breach – is the difference between his side's performances and their results.

Everton have not won in 11 Premier League games stretching back to December and are the joint second-lowest scorers in the competition with 29, yet Dyche has been pleased with their general play.

Dyche said: "If we'd won five out of this run, everyone would be saying, 'Yes, no wonder, because they're playing well'.

"But you're not winning and then they go, 'They're not playing that well'.

"That's the difference between perception and facts. It's my job to look at the facts.

"We are doing lots of the right things, but all the right things are deemed different if you're not winning.

"Whichever way you look at it, the bit that's missing from a lot of our performances is the final moments.

"Can we add in the final moments to, not just be consistent in performance, but win games? We've got to win games. That's the job, end of."