Everton to give Ronald Koeman time to turn things around after poor start to season

Ronald Koeman at Old Trafford
Ronald Koeman is under intense scrutiny with Everton currently in the relegation zone Credit: Andrew Yates/Reuters

Ronald Koeman is expected to be given time to try to turnaround Everton’s appalling start to the season after spending £130million on new players in the summer.

Everton manager Koeman hit back at Jose Mourinho’s claim that his team should be challenging for the top four this season because of the club’s transfer business after the latest defeat at Manchester United. Koeman’s side are currently third from bottom in the Premier League table and have won only one game, conceding nine goals in their three successive league defeats.

Everton also lost 3-0 at Atalanta in the Europa League and Koeman stressed the need for time following the defeat to United on Sunday. Frank de Boer’s sacking after just four games by Crystal Palace underlined the need for instant success in the Premier League and bookies’ odds on Koeman becoming the next manager to be sacked tumbled over the weekend.

But, although the aim of majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is for Koeman to build a team capable of challenging the top six in the Premier League, he is also understanding of the fact this was a summer of change for the club. Moshiri still expects Everton to be challenging for European qualification this season, but is unlikely to make any early or rash decisions.

Michael Keane applauds the travelling Everton fanws
Everton were soundly beaten by Manchester United on the weekend Credit: Andrew Yates/Reuters

There is also acknowledgement within Goodison Park that while significant money has been spent, the club did not secure a natural replacement for Romelu Lukaku during the summer. Everton felt confident they would land Olivier Giroud, only for the Frenchman to decide he wanted to stay at Arsenal, while a loan move for Diego Costa failed after initially receiving encouragement.

The Toffees will try again to buy a new striker in the January transfer window, but, before then, Koeman must try to find a way of dragging his side back up the Premier League table.

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