Trevor Steven believes Ronald Koeman has a month to save his Everton tenure.
Koeman is under strong scrutiny after the Blues won just one of their last six Premier League games and made a poor start to their Europa League campaign.
Farhad Moshiri, the club’s majority shareholder, offered the beleaguered Dutchman a vote of confidence on Monday by pledging his ‘total support’.
But Everton icon Steven, writing in his City A.M. column, forecasts that the run of fixtures after the international break will determine Koeman’s Goodison Park fate.
He said: “When you are on a poor run you need a consistency of selection, or at least shape.
“Koeman has not got it right and it looks like he doesn’t know how to fix it.
“Some of the signings have been criticised but I think Koeman got the players that he wanted so the buck stops with him.
“The current international break could have a positive or negative effect, but I believe a break from the scrutiny and pressure is more likely to help the Everton players.
“Arsenal were in a similar slump before the last international break; since then they have won six and drawn one of their seven games.
“It will also give Koeman time to think about how to end a slump that is threatening his job.
“Everton desperately need a result at Brighton when the Premier League resumes.
“It’s the only one of their next six fixtures that seems a likely win so it’s as big a match as any they have played in the last two years. I fear for them though.
“If we don’t see a real turnaround in form then the club could be looking for a new manager by November.”
Steven was a member of Howard Kendall’s all-conquering 1980s side which suffered its own crisis of confidence before lifting a plethora of honours.
But the former midfielder sees a number of issues within the Everton current side.
“There is a long list of problems,” added Steven.
“Cuco Martina doesn’t offer the dynamism of regular right-back Seamus Coleman; Morgan Schneiderlin has been hugely disappointing.
“Davy Klaassen and Gylfi Sigurdsson do not look the key components that they were at Ajax and Swansea respectively.
“Sandro is not an out-and-out centre-forward; Ademola Lookman has not had a look-in.
“Then you have the Wayne Rooney dilemma. I don’t think Koeman has given him long enough before dropping him.
“At least when Rooney played Everton had more of a style; he acted as a bit of glue in midfield.
Tom Davies, whose energy and commitment make him a fan favourite, should be playing every game to build up his confidence.
“Instead he – like Rooney, Klaassen and Sandro – have been tampered with and the confidence of all the players has been rattled.”
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