In possibly the most turbulent year of their history, Everton have overcome adversity to maintain their status as a Premier League club, and now look set to kick on under the guidance of Sean Dyche.
Despite a last-day survival against relegation, the death of long-serving chairman Bill Kenwright, and the hugely controversial 10-point penalty handed to them by the Premier League, there is much more optimism heading into 2024 than there was 12 months ago.
Here, Sports Mole looks back on Everton's fortunes in 2023 and their possible targets heading into the new year.
League Form:
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Everton's year could not have started much worse, as they were thrashed at home by Brighton & Hove Albion, lost to bottom-placed Southampton at Goodison Park, before another defeat to relegation rivals West Ham United, ultimately costing Frank Lampard his job.
Dyche arrived with the Toffees in 19th, and a victory over league leaders Arsenal in his first game in charge was a sign of things to come, but despite two more huge home wins over Leeds United and Brentford, Everton still found themselves second-from-bottom with just four games to play.
A stunning 5-1 win over Brighton at the Amex put Everton back in the ascendancy to stay up, and Yerry Mina's 99th-minute equaliser away to Wolverhampton Wanderers meant that they went into the last game with their destiny in their own hands, and a 1-0 win over Bournemouth sealed survival in dramatic circumstances.
The start of the 2023-24 season has been extremely promising too, as without their 10-point deduction, they would be close to a spot in the top half on 26 points, as heavy defeats at Aston Villa and Wolves remain the only occasions where Everton could put their hands up and say they were thoroughly outplayed so far.
Cup Form:
Everton were the first team knocked out of the FA Cup third round in January, losing in the Friday night slot to Manchester United, and they have the opening slot to look forward to again next week in this season's edition, when they face Crystal Palace.
After being embarrassed by Bournemouth in the EFL Cup a year ago, Everton put in a much better showing this time around, beating Aston Villa away, and Burnley before going down to Fulham in a heartbreaking quarter-final penalty shootout defeat, denying a potential Merseyside derby semi-final.
Transfer Business:
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To the dismay of their supporters, Everton did not bring in a single player despite being deep in relegation trouble in January, as the handover from Lampard and Dyche occurred, and the signing of Arnaut Danjuma fell through as he had a last-minute change of heart and joined Tottenham Hotspur instead.
Danjuma was one of five players signed over the summer though, but he has failed to have much of an impact, with fellow new boy Jack Harrison, who is proving to be a shrewd loan signing from Leeds, keeping the Dutchman out of the side.
Despite having some ropey moments, veteran Ashley Young has the trust of Dyche, while Youssef Chermiti was always set to be a signing for the future, but the arrival of Beto has been crucial, as it has lifted the burden slightly off Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and allows the manager to rotate and manage the fitness of the former England international.
Manager's Position:
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Dyche's position is about as secure as any manager has been at Goodison Park since David Moyes over a decade ago - excluding Carlo Ancelotti, who jumped ship after just 18 months.
After years of astonishing underachievement, Everton look capable of being a competitive outfit in almost every fixture thanks to the rapid transformation that has taken place under the ex-Burnley boss.
The fact that Everton would not be far from the European places purely on merit so far this season illustrates the job that Dyche has done with extremely limited finances, and the club's supporters are delighted to be finally watching a side pulling in the same direction with a clear, cohesive plan on the pitch.
Best Moment:
While moments like this should not be celebrated as an achievement for a club of Everton's stature, clinching survival with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth on the final day of the season after looking dead and buried on more than one occasion was a special moment.
It was apt that Abdoulaye Doucoure, a player who was frozen out by Lampard, but quickly has become a fan favourite under Dyche, netted a stunning winner, as Goodison Park erupted in similar fashion to how it did against Crystal Palace the season previous when they also secured survival deep into May.
Worst Moment:
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While the death of chairman Kenwright was a hugely sad day for many at the club, the lowest moment for the club in a footballing sense was undoubtedly the staggering 10-point deduction they received from the Premier League.
In an unprecedented move by the league, the harshest penalty ever handed out in top-flight history put Everton joint-bottom with Sheffield United on just four points.
Widespread condemnation followed from supporters and neutrals, and mass protests from the fans took place in their first game after the announcement, while an official appeal against the penalty has been lodged, but that certainly galvanised the squad, as within four matches, they were already back out of the bottom three after a sensational run of form.
Targets for 2024:
While fortunes on the pitch have improved, it still looks incredibly bleak off it, as the agreed takeover from 777 Partners is yet to be ratified, and the investment firm are alleged to be the people providing loans which are currently keeping Everton afloat, so if that does not go through, then administration is a very real possibility.
On the pitch, their ambitions will all be dependent on whether they get all, some, or none of the 10 points back on appeal, as that could dictate whether they will be battling for Europe or fighting against the drop.
With finances currently a big concern, the supporters will also hope that does not lead to the sale of Jarrad Branthwaite, who has been a revelation at the back for the Toffees since returning from a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven, instantly becoming one of the most important players at the club.
January Window Targets:
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Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell has already admitted it will be a quiet window for Everton, as there is simply no leeway there for the club to spend money in the market.
However, with Idrissa Gueye heading to the Africa Cup of Nations, Everton's midfield options outside of the starters will be non-existent, so dipping into the loan or free market may have to be done.
Should Branthwaite or Amadou Onana be sold earlier than expected though, that would provide Everton with some funds, but big gaps to fill in their starting XI.
Overall Rating: 5/10
At the start of the year, every Everton fan would have happily taken being 17th in the Premier League by the end of it, given how real the threat of relegation was, so on the field has been a relative success.
However, the 10-point penalty handed to them has been devastating, and means that they still remain in a relegation battle heading into 2024, despite performances on the pitch being deserving of a place a long way clear of trouble.
Andrew Delaney
