Everton have held preliminary discussions with Sam Allardyce’s advisors as Farhad Moshiri puts together a contingency plan for the club’s next manager.
Sportsmail understands Moshiri, Everton’s major shareholder, has held talks with representatives of Allardyce, who revealed on Monday that he would give deep consideration to the opportunity of “putting them back together”.
Moshiri is considering a number of candidates, with Burnley’s Sean Dyche and Watford’s Marco Silva amongst them; Allardyce would be immediately available and could work on a contract until the end of the season.
Everton’s hope is that David Unsworth, who was placed in temporary charge after Ronald Koeman was sacked on October 23, wins the next two matches – against Lyon, on Thursday evening, and Watford on Sunday – to settle the situation down.
Unsworth has made no secret of his desire to step up from his role as Under-23 boss on a permanent basis but he has accepted, after losing against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and Leicester on Sunday, that his prospects will be determined in the next four days.
‘That doesn’t scare me, because I know the game and I know that in the end you will be judged on performances,’ said Unsworth, who has left senior figures Wayne Rooney, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines on Merseyside to be ready for the game with Watford.
‘I think performances have improved for a game and a half but within those performances, you’ve got to try and dig out some results. So I want to win (here); I want to perform. Sunday is a massive game as well. It’s a cup final, for me, and I think we’ve got to play it like a cup final.
‘I wouldn’t know who was in the running for [the manager’s job]. I’ve heard certain things, but it’s a top job, and I’m not surprised with whoever would be linked with it. We just carry on, day by day, and hopefully we will be in a better position on Sunday.’
For all that Koeman paid the ultimate price for Everton’s dismal form, Ashley Williams – who will captain the side in Lyon – recognises the players must take their share of the responsibility; he gave a frank insight into how the dressing room has been affected.
‘It hurts, definitely, he was someone we all liked and you feel responsible as a player,’ said Williams. ‘We're disappointed for everyone; it's not nice when you're not winning games and it effects everyone. When a manager loses his job and you do take responsibility for that.’
Everton will be eliminated after four games if they lose in Lyon and Italian side Atalanta avoid defeat against Apollon Limassol.
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