Romelu Lukaku has claimed Roberto Martinez lost the Everton dressing room prior to his sacking.
Martinez was deposed by Farhad Moshiri barely 72 hours before the Blues’ final Premier League encounter of the season against Norwich City following a disastrous run of form.
Everton won just two of their final 11 games of the campaign, the second coming under the guidance of caretaker coaches Joe Royle and David Unsworth.
And Lukaku, who was brought to Goodison Park by Martinez I 2014, hinted that relations between the former Wigan boss and Everton’s players had deteriorated in the weeks leading up to his departure.
He said: “The team did not perform at all. We won two of our last 11 games.
“When things are broken between the manager and the players it becomes difficult.”