Sean Dyche gives verdict on Chelsea transfer spending after Everton points deduction

Sean Dyche believes Dwight McNeil is at his best when playing football with a smile as he insists that the emphasis on his side’s next game should be on Everton who have outperformed big-spending Chelsea so far this season.

McNeil netted his second goal in as many games to put the Blues on their way to a 3-0 victory over Newcastle United on Thursday and the winger has now netted seven times after being reunited with his former Burnley boss. Asked how he gets the best out of the Rochdale-born player, Dyche said: “You’d have to ask him but I think the simplicity of reminding him what he’s good at, believing in him – which I do – I gave him his debut obviously. I think he’s a very, very good player.

“I’ve always spoken about how he puts a lot of weight on himself and I’ve said ‘you’ve got to relax that, release it, go and enjoy your performances, go and play with a smile' as many managers used to say when I was young. I think he’s one of those who when he plays with a smile and he runs hard for the team, it starts to come together and I think he’s done that ever since I’ve been here and I’m very pleased for him and I’m very pleased for us because he’s getting the rewards for that.

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“It was a fine finish. He’s got power, we know that, but they’re two very, very good goals.”

Everton’s on-the-field record has seen them outperform Chelsea so far this season and if it wasn’t for their 10-point deduction, they’d be going into their head-to-head clash at Goodison Park above the west London outfit and in the top half of the table. Dyche said: