Everton have been told that is not the right fit for the relegation fight they find themselves in.

was , just three hours before ’s match against Peterborough in the third round of the . that Dyche was dismissed after insinuating to new owners, The Friedkin Group, that he felt he had taken the club as far as he could.

is the favourite for the job and has held talks with TFG over a stunning return to Goodison Park. The 61-year-old has been without a job since leaving at the end of last season and is interested in returning to the club he led from 2002 to 2013.

for the role, despite being employed by Fenerbahce. However, the fact he was sacked by TFG in his previous job as Roma manager meant a new link-up between the two parties was always unlikely.

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That is just as well, according to former star Paul Merson, who doesn’t think that Mourinho would flourish in a relegation battle, with Everton in 16th and only one point above the drop zone. “I’m a big fan of Jose Mourinho. He’s been an amazing manager over the years, one of the all-time greats, but I don’t see how this Everton job ticks the box,” the Sky Sports pundit said before Dyche’s sacking had been confirmed.

“Everton are in a massive, massive relegation fight. I think it’s out of them and Ipswich to go down. Mourinho needs to be higher up the league than hanging around fifth bottom. I just don’t see how Mourinho does any differently to Sean Dyche. I don’t see any difference in that. He’s a massive name in football but I’d be careful with that one.

“They’re not scoring a lot of goals, but it’s not like Mourinho is going to come in and they’re going to be free-flowing. He had the best team of all time and they weren’t free-flowing. Winning 1-0, 2-0 every week, never letting in a goal, but Dyche doesn’t let in too many goals either.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Who should take over from Sean Dyche? .

“It’s a strange one for me. I think it’s the owners wanting a massive football name. If Dyche got the sack tomorrow morning, and any job came up in the bottom three or four in the league, he would get it – because if anybody’s going to get you out of trouble, Dyche is.

“If you’re going to bring someone in to take Dyche’s place, you have to bring in someone who has thick skin, like Mourinho. You have to bring in someone who’s going to do it his way, but there aren’t many of them around.”

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