Sean Dyche has delivered some uncomfortable home truth to Everton’s squad and warned them he will not be the club’s latest fall guy.

Everton’s capitulation at Chelsea on Monday was the nadir in a desperate run of form that stretches back to mid-December. Dyche has only overseen one Premier League win in 15 matches but the manner of their 6-0 defeat followed a trend that goes back years.

This was the tenth time since 2017 that Everton had conceded five or more goals in a game – the most of any Premier League club – leaving many to wonder whether Dyche will soon go the way of his predecessors by being sacked.

Dyche admitted he 'must do better' but similar sentiments apply to the squad and in a series of frank meetings at the club’s Finch Farm training base in recent days, he made it absolutely clear that he will not tolerate any repeats.

When it was put to Dyche that his pattern of results is similar to runs experienced by Frank Lampard and Rafa Benitez, he replied: ‘It’s a fair question – and I have absolutely gone through this with the players. (I said) Is this now just a cycle you go through?

Sean Dyche admitted he is ready to 'fight' for his position to stay as Everton manager

‘You want a new manager, you get a new manager and a bounce and everyone says: “Hurrah!” Then, six months later, it’s: “Boo! We want him out!” You just keep doing that? Is that where we are at? I don’t mind telling you this because people want the truth.

‘I said to them: “Lads, I’m not that guy. I’m staying. I’m fighting.” If you want that to happen, you help yourselves. If the fans want that to happen, so be it. I’m fighting. I’m not blaming anyone. I’ve never done that in my career and I’m not going to start now.

‘I know the truth of what I’m managing here. It’s a lot. But I’m up to it. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t do it.’

Plenty will wonder why he is persisting. The uncertainty heading into their clash with Nottingham Forest has never been heavier. Off the pitch, the potential for 777 partners – an American investment firm – to complete their takeover from Farhad Moshiri is in hanging in the balance.

They were granted a last-minute extension to repay a £160million loan to MSP – another consortium with interest in buying Everton – but no date as to when this must be completed has been made public. Then, of course, there is the issue around PSR breaches and points deductions.

There is no leadership at the top of the club, with Moshiri seemingly having washed his hands of interest. Through it all, Dyche has been catapulted into the situation where he must deal with questions on every facet at Goodison Park. He carries a huge responsibility.

‘It’s a lot different to the vision I was sold and I had the vision of,’ said Dyche. ‘Mr Moshiri speaks to me mostly by messages. There are phone calls. It happens casually and I must make it clear (the frequency) hasn’t changed since I’ve been here. It’s not good or bad, it’s been consistent.

‘I’m managing a lot more than people could possibly imagine, hence why I said at the end of last season I wasn’t going to be spraying champagne around (when we stayed up). We have got miles to go. Miles. We are miles from where people think we should be.

‘Is it easy? No. It’s definitely not easy managing this situation. But is it a reality? Yes. That’s my job. That’s my responsibility – and I won’t make excuses. What would the point be in me adding more negativity and pouring more petrol on the fire and all that nonsense?

‘It wouldn’t do any good – and I am not going to be that guy. I will keep swallowing the grenades, I’ll get the job done and then one day we can have a glass of wine and talk about it. But the reality is nobody cares. This is the life of a football manager.’