What is going on at Everton?

Supporters have made their anger known while searching for a new manager.

Everton is at a crossroads as they look for Rafael Benitez’s successor amid a backdrop of fan anger and discontent at running the club.

Here, Football Mad looks at Goodison Park’s current situation.

How are things going at Everton?

Not well. The Toffees are 16th in the Premier League, having secured 19 points from 20 matches, with the side starting 2022 with three Premier League defeats.

A 2-1 loss to embattled Norwich was the final nail in the coffin of long disliked manager Benitez. It came days after the club allowed France international Lucas Digne to join Aston Villa.

Fan favourite Duncan Ferguson took temporary charge but failed to steer Everton to a much-needed victory. On Saturday, Aston Villa won 1-0 at Goodison Park, with Digne assisting.

What is the current mood in the fanbase?

A need for change fuels fury. Before Saturday’s match, a plane flew over Goodison Park calling for long-standing chairman Bill Kenwright’s departure, with the trailing banner reading “22 years of failure, Bill. Time to go”.

There was more anger on display after the final whistle as around 150 fans stayed behind to protest, chanting “Sack the board”, “Bill Kenwright, get out of our club”, and “We want our club back”.

Fan’s continue to express frustration, with many supporters congregating outside the Liver Building – where Everton’s commercial offices are based – before another protest on Wednesday night outside Goodison Park.

What issues are there at the club?

Everton has no manager, director of football, head of recruitment or scouting chief, with few trusting those at the top to make the right decisions and improve things.

Farhad Moshiri has owned the club since 2016, and the Iranian businessman certainly cannot be faulted for his financial backing, having already spent over half-a-billion pounds on transfers since his £200million takeover in 2016.

Last week he committed another £100million to the club after increasing his stake to 94 per cent, but he has consistently made poor decisions. On Wednesday, fans voiced their objections to potential new manager Vitor Pereira, agent Kia Joorabchian – reportedly advising Moshiri – and Kenwright.

What’s next for Everton?

There is a lot to fix but appoint a suitable successor to Benitez.

Ex-Porto and Fenerbahce boss Pereira looked to be the frontrunner and said he was hurt by fan opposition to his potential appointment, with graffiti sprayed on to Goodison Park saying ‘Pereira out, Lampard in’.

But that has not put the Portuguese off wanting the job – something he explained having taken the rather extraordinary step of speaking mid-process to Sky Sports News.

Who else is in the running for the job?

Pereira has already had two interviews with Moshiri, who reportedly does the same with former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.

Other names mentioned along the process have been Wayne Rooney, Roberto Martinez and Fabio Cannavaro as Everton look for their seventh permanent manager in six years.