The Everton manager said he did not think the defeat to Southampton represented a missed opportunity ahead of a tough run of games.

Sean Dyche remains adamant that Everton’s upcoming matches cause him no additional worry. The Blues face a daunting December which includes a stretch of matches in which they will face Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

This run begins with a trip to Old Trafford, where Everton will be Manchester United’s first Premier League home game under new boss Ruben Amorin, before the visit of a Wolves side under enormous pressure.

Before that, Everton move to struggling West Ham United and will host Brentford either side of the November international break. These matches took on added importance after the defeat against Southampton.

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A win on the south coast would have pushed the Blues into mid-table and opened up a significant gap on the Saints and those around them. Instead, the hosts managed to achieve their first victory in the championshipproviding a much-needed confidence boost while ending Everton’s five-match unbeaten run.