The race to become the Toffee’s latest manager widened this week with reports of a list of new names entering the fray. Everton are still on the hunt for a new manager since the sacking of Ronald Koeman last month despite caretaker David Unsworth fulfilling the role. While Unsworth remains the favourite to take on the position permanently, the odds of managers such as Marco Silva, Sam Allardyce, Sean Dyche and Diego Simone have since increased.
BetFred and BetVictor are currently offering the best prices for the current manager at 6/4 but many betting companies have made Silva their new favourite. Under Unsworth, they have lost three of the four games he has been in charge including the 3-0 defeat to French outfit Lyon in the Europa League. A string of results which has led to Silva becoming one of the lead candidates.
SkyBet have the Watford boss ahead of Unsworth at 11/10 but Betfair are offering the best price for the Portuguese at 14/5. Silva has spearheaded his Watford to ninth place in the Premier League, only four points off Champions League contenders Liverpool and Arsenal. It is the style of football he demands and the additions the 40-year-old has made which has made him such an appealing option for the Everton board.
Meanwhile Unsworth’s Everton are only two points clear of the relegation zone and he has a real opportunity to show he is the right man for the job in their upcoming matches. His side come up against fellow strugglers Crystal Palace and West Ham in the next few weeks and he will be hoping to get the results needed so they can build on last week’s impressive comeback.
The 44-year-old improved his chances by guiding his rejuvenated team to a 3-2 win over Watford last weekend and he will need to continue to formulate winning performances like that, if he is to be offered the role eternally.
Burnley boss Dyche and former England manager Allardyce are also tipped as outside bets by many bookies. Dyche is best priced at 7/1 by Betfair, while Allardyce is seen to have an outside chance by Skybet at 8/1.
Dyche has taken Burnley to new heights with a team that many believed would be heavily involved in the rough and tumble of a relegation dogfight. The Englishman has seen his men lose only twice this season and they currently occupy a Europa League spot with 19 points from 11 games. Questions remain over whether Dyche would want to leave high-flying Burnley to help oversee Everton out of their misery. He is currently seen to one of the few managers that will not have to worry about facing the sack this season.
As for the Everton job, maybe Unsworth will redeem his poor start and secure the role long-term and prove to become the survivor that the Toffees so desperately need. However, if the gloom is to continue, Everton will be left with a decision to make.