'We move on to Hodgson vs Dyche - immovable object vs immovable object'

Alex Pewter, FYP podcast, external

Fortunately, the Premier League isn’t measured on style points, so Saturday’s battle with Burnley gets a resounding 'job done' for all concerned.

We swiftly move on to a battle for the ages: Roy Hodgson vs Sean Dyche. Immovable object vs immovable object – with no unstoppable force in sight.

Possibly last in the Match of the Day running order, but first in the hearts of footballing traditionalists or defensive-football degenerates.

Once you remove the two victories over a Dyche-era Watford in the 2011-12 season, the now Everton manager has a winning (W7 D4 L5) record over his south London counterparts, and hasn’t lost an encounter for nearly four years.

These fixtures that often seemed winnable on paper have regularly ended with frustration regardless of the result – and there doesn’t appear to be a single reason behind it.

If tactical acumen is often associated with high presses or inverted wing-backs, this underlying attitude diminishes what coaches like Dyche or Hodgson can deliver.

There’s a quality that both managers share: when they correctly diagnose their opposition, they are capable of shutting them down or keeping games within reach, whatever the talent gap. Possibly, when the two meet, they offset.

On Saturday, Burnley were largely wasteful, despite a very high volume of corners and free-kicks near the Palace box. A classic Dyche team can create chaos with knock downs and second chances - something that Hodgson’s defence will need to be wary of.

It may well be that both teams respect the point this weekend, much as they did at Selhurst Park in April. And that may suit all involved.

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