Moyes had been without a job since leaving West Ham in the summer and said the move to appoint him happened “very quickly” after conversations with the Everton ownership group’s chairman Dan Friedkin and club executive chairman Marc Watts.
With Watts flying in from the US to watch the game from the directors’ box, Moyes may have felt he should have taken more time to consider the decision.
But sentiment had taken over and Moyes wrote in the matchday programme that “Everton Football Club means so much to me and my family”.
The supporters were largely in favour of seeing Dyche replaced by the safe hands of Moyes, with the returning boss given a rousing reception as he emerged from the tunnel before kick-off.
The Blues faithful had been given hope and optimism by the managerial change, but were left taking in a dose of reality by full-time.
Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s miss in injury-time contributed to supporter fury, a gilt-edged chance from eight yards out which was scooped into the Gwladys Street End.
Moyes said of the miss: “If we come in and it is 1-1, I don’t think many people would have said it is far off the mark but it is just that clinical action, that clinical moment to get us a goal.
“It is not just one game tonight, it is other games and I think it is there for everybody to see. I can’t magician all that to change, I can’t do it.”
Southampton are cast adrift at the bottom and it seems two out of the four teams above them will join them in the Championship next season.
Everton and Moyes are now battling for survival alongside Wolves and Leicester, with the trio all losing on Wednesday. Ipswich, who play Brighton on Thursday, complete the quartet.
“It is a big job for David Moyes at Everton, as previous managers who have been at the helm of this club found out,” Premier League winner Marc Albrighton said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“It is a doable job [to save them from relegation]. There are a few teams down there that aren’t playing as well as Everton.
“I think Moyes was the right appointment at this stage. It is early days in his reign but I only see them improving and gaining in confidence.”
