Everton v Newcastle - Thursday 7th December 2023

Sean Dyche believes Everton are showing an "extra edge" to their performances on the road and has called upon his team to now take their form at home to that "next level".

The Blues battled their way to an important 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening, with Dwight McNeil’s scintillating 67th-minute strike proving the difference between the two sides.

That victory was Everton's first since a 10-point deduction was imposed on the Club by a Premier League's Commission - a sanction that was officially appealed last week - and helped the Blues climb up to 18th in the table, two points behind Luton who sit just outside the relegation zone.

Up next are two huge contests back at Goodison Park as Dyche's men welcome Newcastle United on Thursday (7.30pm GMT) before taking Chelsea on at the Grand Old Lady three days later (Sunday, 2pm GMT).

For Dyche, both matches represent fresh opportunities to maintain what he believes have been strong home displays, but crucially, he has called on his side to add the extra details needed to secure positive results to accompany them.

Looking ahead to a busy week, Dyche told evertontv: "We have to keep believing, the fans have been terrific [at Goodison Park], without a shadow of a doubt. The performances have been very strong there, but seeing the games through and taking the chances, that is the next level of home performance, because a lot of the home performances have been very good.

"I have said before that I thought the home performance against Manchester United was very good. I know it doesn't look like it with the 3-0, but that was a strong performance against a good outfit, so we have got to secure that mentality and keep delivering good performances."

While improving form at home remains a primary goal for Dyche, the Everton boss was keen to praise the growth he has seen from his side in matches on the road during his tenure.

Away form had been Everton's Achilles' heel for several seasons, however, Dyche has had a transformational impact on the Club in this department since his arrival. That's particularly the case this season, with the Blues already winning six away matches across all competitions.

Additionally, Saturday's success at the City Ground was the Blues' fourth in league action, meaning they've equalled their tally of wins on the road for both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 Premier League campaigns combined.

"It's all on the team, I can only guide on what I think is right," explained a proud Dyche. "I've had enough years in the Premier League to know that the mentality is really important.

"You need the body language and intent to go and win away from home. I believe we have quality, I think we can do our shapes, the basics and hard yards but they all have to be intact.

"They all have to be intact to win at home, of course, but to win away, it needs that extra edge and extra commitment from the side. I think we are showing that. I'm very pleased we what they are doing at the moment."

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