David Unsworth to meet with Everton chairman on Friday to discuss future

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David Unsworth will meet Everton chairman Bill Kenwright on Friday afternoon to discuss his future as the club’s caretaker manager. A spirited comeback in the 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday night did Unsworth’s chances of getting the job on a permanent basis no harm at all. But Unsworth insisted that he had been given no timeframes or targets as Everton continue their search for Ronald Koeman’s replacement.

“I honestly don’t know,” Unsworth replied when asked what sort of criteria he had been set. “All I know is that we’ll hopefully be as committed as that every game that I’m in charge. There’s an awful lot to work with there. It’s a very proud performance tonight.

“I’m scheduled to meet [Kenwright] on Friday afternoon. I speak to the chairman three or four times a day. The communication is brilliant. I’ve got a great relationship with the board. What will be will be. There’s no points return or games total that they’ve set. I just have to be committed. We have to try to win some games and take it from there.

“What has happened has happened, and it’s in the past. I can only influence the training sessions we’re going to be involved in and the games moving forward. I wouldn’t want to comment on what’s gone before, that’s history.”

Unsworth’s planned tactical switch on 60 minutes, replacing James McCarthy with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and switching to a 4-2-4 formation, threatened to turn the game. And Unsworth said he appreciated the increased vigour and pace in the team. “We spoke about the right time and how to press,” he said. “I thought the pressing, when we went in threes and fours, was good. It’s not as good as I would want it yet. But certainly when you put James McCarthy, Aaron Lennon and Kevin Mirallas back into the team, you get that response that we got tonight.”

Antonio Conte, meanwhile, paid tribute to his young players after making nine changes for this fixture. “Charly Musonda and Kenedy and [Ethan] Ampadu - don’t forget he is only 17 years old - I think they played a good game. It’s very important to trust in these players, because they deserve to have this chance.”

Danny Drinkwater finally made his Chelsea debut after a prolonged calf injury, although Conte said he would probably not be able to play a full 90 minutes until after next month’s international break. The good news is that N’Golo Kante is ready to return from a hamstring injury that has kept him out of Chelsea’s last three games.

“Kante is progressing well, and I’m very happy, because I saw him in a good physical condition,” said Conte. “We have to find the strength to keep calm and to find the right moment to put him in the team. Now it will be very easy to tell him to play. But we must pay attention. We have to find the best solution for him. But he’s ready.”