Future of Ronald Koeman in hands of Arsene Wenger

CAIRO – 22 October 2017: The future of Ronald Koeman, Everton’s coach, is in the hands of his colleague Arsène Wenger. This is understood by several British media, who claim that a loss of Everton against Arsenal on Sunday would probably accelerate the dismissal of the Dutch coach.

The defeat of Everton against Olympique Lyon (1-2) on Thursday in the Europa League, has not only fueled rumors about a possible dismissal of Koeman. The bookmakers point to the former FC Barcelona coach as the favorite to be the next dismissed coach in the Premier League after Tuesday`s departure of Craig Shakespere, Leicester`s coach.

Everton, with an investment of €158.2 ($186.5) million for transfer, according to Transfermarkt, started at the beginning of the season as one of the teams called to fight for the Europa League title and the top four teams in the Premier League.

But after eight games, Everton are 16th in the Premier League, with 8 points out of 24, just two ahead of Leicester's final downhill.

An Everton defeat against Arsenal at Goodison Park, combined with a Leicester win at the Swansea Field, would put the Blues in a relegation position to the Championship, and most likely Koeman in destitution.

Everton has a short-term poisoned calendar. In addition to playing against Arsenal on Sunday, three days later they will visit Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the League Cup.

The next two matches will be against Leicester, a direct rival in the fight for permanence, and in Lyon, in the Europa League, where Koeman's team is group descendant with only one point in three games.