Dyche hopes Premier League charge against Everton 'comes to nothing'

The Toffees, who have already been docked six points this season, are facing further punishment over a second alleged breach of the English top flight's financial regulations.

A hearing took place earlier this week and a verdict is expected before April 8th.

"They've shared the information that was asked of them," Dyche told a pre-match press conference on Thursday ahead of Everton's league fixture away to Bournemouth this weekend.

"It's too early to get a feel of it and we're just waiting, really, like we did last time. I'm sure everyone's hoping that it's fast-tracked slightly, but we'll have to wait and see."

Dyche added: "We can only give the information that's appropriate. I wasn't there, obviously, but I'm told we've given every bit of information that we can give.

"We hope that they see, accordingly, what the club has been trying to do to make sure we're within the right areas that they need us to be in. So, therefore, we'll hope that it comes to nothing."

The possibility of further punishment for Everton added to a four-point deduction for relegation rivals Nottingham Forest has created plenty of uncertainty at the foot of the table.

Everton are four points above 18th-placed Forest, but the Midlands club have an appeal pending.

There are fears that a final decisions on which teams are relegated won't be made until after the end of the season.

With Everton having been first docked 10 points reduced to six on appeal, with the Forest penalty for a similar offence another figure entirely, Dyche was far from alone in being confused.

"There's no consistency," said Dyche, whose side travel to Bournemouth on Saturday hoping to end an 11-game winless run.

"I don't know the minutiae of our own, let alone theirs (Forest's case). When you're in that room, and the way they decide things, maybe there's different reasons and I can only imagine there's more depth to it.

"But in its simplest form, then I think everyone, not just us, said, 'How's that? Where did that come from? How does that work out?'"

In the meantime, Dyche played down reports of a bust-up with Everton defender Nathan Patterson during the club's recent training camp in Portugal.

It was claimed Dyche jokingly aimed a slap at the Scot but accidentally caught him harder than he intended, leading to a heated exchange between the pair.

"The old favourite - never let the truth get in the way of a good story," Dyche said Thursday. "There's nothing in it, really. It was a joke. I tapped him on the head like your older brother would, and he didn't get the joke. That was it, basically. There's no more to it.

"But of course, that wouldn't have sold. So, when that does get out everyone has to add layers and layers and layers to it but it's really that simple. That was it."