Ipswich Town's Premier League relegation rivals Everton have sacked manager Sean Dyche.

The Toffees endured a torrid start to the campaign, but a run of one defeat in eight from mid-September until mid-November steadied the ship.

A tough Christmas was always expected, with a daunting set of games lined up. Despite earning draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, defeats to Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have sent alarm bells ringing.

Crucially, while Everton's defensive record remains strong, their attacking numbers are among the worst in the Premier League.

The Friedkin Group, who recently completed their takeover of the club, had been preparing to assess whether Dyche is the right man to take them forward, which the 53-year-old considered to be natural.

They have now made their decision and will look for another manager to help them avoid a bottom-three finish. Under-18s head coach Leighton Baines and captain Seamus Coleman will take charge of the team in tonight's FA Cup clash against Peterborough United, which kicks off in around three hours' time.

Former Chelsea and Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is currently the odds-on favourite for the job, although TalkSPORT have claimed that he will not become Everton's new manager.

David Moyes, Lee Carsley and Thomas Frank are also listed among the frontrunners. Moyes, of course, spent 11 years at Goodison Park earlier in his career before taking over at Manchester United.

The Toffees currently occupy 16th place in the Premier League, sitting one point above Ipswich in the last relegation place. Town were beaten 2-0 by Dyche's Everton at Portman Road back in October and will travel to Merseyside for the reverse fixture on May 3rd.