Everton have boldly opted to sack manager Sean Dyche hours before their FA Cup Third Round clash with EFL League One side Peterborough United.
The Toffees are currently 16th in the Premier League rankings, at the half-way point of the season, with 17 points gained from 19 games so far.
Dyche had been closing in on his two-year anniversary at Goodison Park, after guiding the club away from relegation danger in the last two seasons, but the club have now made the call.
MORE: All the latest EPL club news | Team-by-team Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings
New owners The Friedkin Group has previously indicated their plan to keep Dyche in place until the end of the season with a decision expected over his future in June.
However, the move has been taken to fire the former Burnley manager, with Everton just one point above the EPL relegation zone.
Who will manage Everton vs. Peterborough?
With the announcement of Dyche's exit coming so close to the FA Cup clash with Peterborough, U18s coach Leighton Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman will take charge of the first team on an interim basis.
The move brings two genuine fans favourites into the Goodison dugout, with Baines and Coleman forming a key part of the Everton defence during David Moyes' time in charge,
Coleman - who is contracted as a player until the end of the season - broke the club's EPL appearance record earlier in the campaign, with 367 games for the Republic of Ireland defender, and Baines is fourth on the list with with 348.
Who will replace Sean Dyche at Everton?
Dyche's exit from Merseyside means Everton are now looking for their ninth permanent boss since Moyes' exit in 2013 alongside interim spells for David Unsworth and Duncan Ferguson.
Baines was named as interim boss in between Dyche's arrival and Frank Lampard's sacking at the start of 2023 - but he did not take charge of a game.
Veteran boss Jose Mourinho is rumoured to be the favourite to take charge at Everton, at least until the end of the season, as the club look to ensure they enter their new Bramley Moore home as a Premier League club.
