Dyche working under 'very difficult' circumstances - Everton chief

Manager Sean Dyche is working under "very difficult circumstances" amid Everton's worst start to a league season in 66 years, says the club's director of football Kevin Thelwell.

The Toffees are bottom of the Premier League without a point having lost all four of their games so far, conceding 13 goals.

They have the poorest record of the 96 teams in Europe's top five leagues and were knocked out in the third round of the Carabao Cup on penalties by fellow strugglers Southampton on Tuesday.

In an exclusive interview with BBC Radio Merseyside's Giulia Bould, Thelwell said: "Sean and I work very closely together, our offices are a metre apart so we are talking regularly and consistently about what things we can do, how we can use the resources we have available to try and make things better going forwards.

"Sean has a responsibility for the preparation and performance of the team and fundamentally the results. My responsibility is the support services that sit around that. It is about us talking through some of the performance problems we have got."

Dyche's contract expires at the end of the season and, despite the wretched start, club sources have told BBC Sport the 53-year-old's job is currently safe.

Thelwell added: "I can promise everybody that there is no stone being left unturned in terms of trying to rectify our current situation. He [Dyche] is working under very difficult circumstances.

"We still have ownership and financial situations to resolve so that makes it very difficult for a manager when we want to take that next step."

Last week, Everton said there is "some work to be done" for American businessman John Textor to complete his takeover of the club following aborted attempts by 777 Partners and the Friedkin Group this year.

The Blues are also scheduled to move to their new stadium on Bramley Moore-Dock for the start of next season.

Last season, Everton were handed two separate deductions totalling eight points for breaching the Premier League's financial rules and were under pressure to comply again before the 30 June deadline.

They signed eight players during the summer for a total of around £40m, while bringing in approximately £70m in sales, which includes £50m for midfielder Amadou Onana from Aston Villa.

"After the points deductions, we were very nervous of making sure we didn't fall foul of those problems again," said Thelwell. "I was pleased we were able to resolve that fairly early in the market with the sales of Lewis Dobbin and Ben Godfrey which helped us with PSR.

"It is a worry because you don't want to start the Premier League with points deductions hanging over your head. I am glad to say we got on the right side of that and plan effectively as possible.

"I would not be out of place saying every sporting director in the Premier League finds it very frustrating. The regulations are there for the right reasons but perhaps are not doing what they should do and that is to support the clubs and league to be better."

Jarrad Branthwaite was Everton's star man last season and he remained at the club after two bids for the centre-back from Manchester United were rejected.

The 22-year-old's absence from the team after undergoing surgery has coincided with their woeful form, though he is getting closer to returning to full fitness.

Thelwell said: "Without question, Jarrad was a risk throughout the window and certainly before the end of the financial year because people thought we were having to do business to comply with our PSR problem.

"Our situation is such that we can't have a perfect picture, if we want to keep someone like Jarrad then we have to do something else to ensure that we resolve our financial problem. We are all committed to that and delighted that he stayed."

Meanwhile, midfielder Dele Alli continues to train with the club despite his contract expiring in the summer but it remains to be seen whether the 28-year-old will be offered a new deal.

Asked if Alli will be seen in an Everton shirt again, Thelwell replied: "We very much hope so. He has worked very hard on the pitch to get himself into a place where he can physically get to play.

"We are in a good space now with Tottenham, we have an agreement with those guys about what happens next if we sign him and he would dearly love to play for Everton in the Premier League and we would dearly love that to happen as well because the boy has had a very difficult time."

Everton travel to newly promoted Leicester on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 BST) in a huge clash at the wrong end of the division.

The Toffees also host Crystal Palace and head to Ipswich in an important set of fixtures over the next four weeks.

Thelwell has urged disgruntled supporters to "stick with us" in what is a "difficult time" for the club.

"We are all feeling the pain that they are feeling but we need to stay calm," he said. "Stay patient and we hope we are able to resolve some of these problems. What we are all fighting for is a team that Evertonians can be proud of.

"It is still very difficult to work at this football club and I appreciate it is very difficult to support this club at this moment in time but we only get through this if we stick together."