Update on Branthwaite and Patterson's recovery offered by Dyche at Everton

The Toffees are facing a tough start to the season, having suffered defeats in all of their Premier League matches so far.

However, Dyche is hoping for respite on the injury front, especially in defense.

He told reporters: "The challenge we've got with (getting Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson back to being available) – more so with Patto, who has had a different kind of injury and a longer-term injury – is that they've been out for 12/13/14/15 weeks, maybe even more in Patto's case, then usually you'd have a six-week break in the off-season, then a five-week pre-season, ideally probably playing two lots of 90 minutes.

"Fast-tracking players, in my experience, doesn't end well, so we want to fast-track them but cleverly fast-track them – not just push them through games programmes they're not capable of. They need to come into the side when they're fit, properly fit, because you can't deliver performances in the Premier League unless you're properly fit. I've experienced enough to know when you've short-tracked people into the team, they find it very difficult to find their form.

"They literally started with the team last week. They've done background work and support work with the sports science team, fitness work but only two days of actual football training, so they're going to need more than that, that's for sure.”