Everton will play their final season at Goodison Park before moving to a new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock.

But they got off to a bad start and have lost their opening game in each of the last three seasons.

Despite having a total of eight points deducted last season for breaching Premier League financial rules, Dyche led the team to 15th place, a very respectable 14 points clear of the relegation zone.

After the positive end to last season and exciting new signings such as Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrom in the summer, there was optimism within the club that they could progress and fight for a place in the top half of the table.

But the demoralising performance against Brighton has plunged the team into chaos again, while uncertainty over the club’s takeover continues to grow after John Textor became the latest signing to agree an exclusivity period with owner Farhad Moshiri.

Textor is the latest interested party to take over the Toffees after talks with 777 Partners and the Friedkin Group failed this summer.

In its latest annual accounts in March, Everton reported financial losses of £89.1 million, with the club’s net debt rising to £330.6 million.

With the departures of Amadou Onana, Lewis Dobbin and Ben Godfrey, they have recouped around £70 million through player sales this summer.

“The club I’m really worried about is not a newly promoted club,” former Toffees winger Pat Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live. “If I’m being completely honest, my real concern is my old club Everton.”

“There are bigger problems this season than the departure of Goodison, the loss of other key players and the threat of another relegation battle in the event of injuries or further draconian points deductions.”

“No, it is the crushing debt and the inability to find a buyer who meets the requirements and is considered trustworthy.

“Everton’s financial problems are not over. In fact, they are as bad, if not worse, than ever before.”

“If they don’t find a buyer, this could still be the biggest and saddest story of the coming season.”