Everton sack Ronald Koeman

The news, confirmed by Everton on Twitter on Monday lunchtime, comes as no surprise following the 5-2 drubbing by Arsenal at Goodison Park on Sunday.

"Everton Football Club can confirm that Ronald Koeman has left the club," Everton said in a statement.

"Chairman Bill Kenwright, the Board of Directors and Major Shareholder Farhad Moshiri would all like to express their gratitude to Ronald for the service he has given to the club over the past 16 months and for guiding the club to seventh place in last season’s Premier League campaign."

Koeman pitched up for work as usual at 7am on Monday and was later pictured deep in conversation with brother Erwin and the Everton coaching staff on the training ground, preparing for Wednesday's arrival of Chelsea in the League Cup.

The 54-year-old enjoyed an excellent record in the Premier League, finishing seventh and sixth in his two seasons with Southampton and seventh in his first campaign on Merseyside.

But Everton have won just two games in 13 and their worst start to a season since 2005-06 has dropped them into the relegation zone with eight points from nine games.

Beyond the poor results, Everton's supporters have been discouraged by a series of muddled displays with formations and players frequently switched as Koeman struggles for cohesion.

No wonder Everton chairman Bill Kenwright was pictured with his head in his hands in the directors' box on Sunday.

Alongside him, owner Farhad Moshiri, who oversaw a net summer spend of £54 million, decided to sack his manager 17 months after terminating the contract of his predecessor Roberto Martinez.

Koeman has every right to have expected more from some of his new recruits with Michael Keane and Gylfi Sigurdsson established Premier League performers and Davy Klaassen voted Dutch player of the year last season.

Of the incomers, only Nikola Vlasic and keeper Jordan Pickford have lived up to expectations, which, given Everton's defending, is just as well. In the first half on Sunday, Pickford pulled off more saves than he has ever done in his career and overall made more passes than any Everton player.

One media report linked former manager David Moyes, who is currently without a job, with a surprise return but Under-23 boss David Unsworth is among the favourites to take over.