Everton sack Benitez | Rooney, Lampard on shortlist

Everton have sacked manager Rafael Benitez after just six-and-a-half months in charge following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Norwich.

The Toffees have won just once in the Premier League since September and are 15th in the table, six points above the relegation zone.

Sky Sports News understands that Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard are two of the names in consideration to replace Benitez. Also on the list are Roberto Martinez, Rudi Garcia, and Duncan Ferguson until the end of the season.

Former Liverpool manager Benitez was appointed Everton boss last summer but the Spaniard has failed to win over the Goodison Park faithful.

Everton fans displayed a banner calling for his exit during their team’s loss to Norwich at Carrow Road. The same banner was also unfurled at their 3-2 FA Cup third-round win at Hull.

Everton have lost nine of their past 13 league games, including a 4-1 home defeat by Merseyside rivals Liverpool and a 5-2 home defeat against relegation strugglers Watford.

“An update on a permanent replacement will be made in due course,” Everton said.

Keane: A dressing room lacking leaders

Sky Sports’ Roy Keane:

“Every time I see Everton over the past few months and I must be right, it doesn’t look like a good dressing room there. They’ve got some decent players who turn up every now and again, which is no good for a big club like Everton.

“Rafa Benitez will ultimately pay the price if they keep losing and he may go tonight, but I get the impression that something is missing in that dressing room whether that be the culture or the lack of characters and leaders at the club.

“I know Seamus Coleman and he’s a really good guy, but I get the impression that’s not a good dressing room. You can’t lose that many games, the manager will pay the price.”

Redknapp: The fans aren’t having Rafa

Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp:

“To a certain extent, it’s not all on Rafa what’s gone on at Everton, but he has a habit of causing chaos at clubs. He’s a politician and he’s always blaming everyone else.

“He puts this person against that person and he creates an atmosphere of the crowd against the board everywhere he goes.

“I’m convinced he did it again there and I didn’t see him lasting. Some people won’t like that fact we’ve talked about a manager’s position but his departure has felt inevitable.

“He was never the right fit. You can’t keep losing matches. The fans didn’t have him. Football fans don’t mind who is in charge if they’re winning, but he had to go.

“Duncan Ferguson is there, he did a good job as interim last time, and he could come in while they look for the next manager. Some people talk about Wayne Rooney, and the job he’s doing at Derby is out of this world.

“This would be the greatest escape of all time. Whether he’s the right fit? I don’t know. But that’s the sort of options they’ll be looking at right now.”

Where does the blame lie at Everton?

Sky Sports’ Ben Grounds:

It is a question that remains hard to pinpoint, but for many of those who headed back to Merseyside from Norwich having made their longest away trip of the season, it was clear where the buck stops. Everton are in freefall and this unhappy marriage with under-fire former Liverpool manager Benitez reached its nadir at Carrow Road.

This was the club’s first away defeat against a team starting the day bottom of the Premier League table since May 2004, having been unbeaten in 17 such occasions coming into the game. Benitez had run out of time and excuses. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was back in the side following his most recent relapse while Richarlison did have an impact off the bench, but the damage had already been done.

As has so often been the case during this miserable run of one win in 13 league games.

The 2-1 loss to Norwich continued an abysmal record for Everton of conceding the first goal in 16 of their 22 games in all competitions this season, including each of their last nine games.

Against the league’s bottom side, who had conceded the first goal in 16 games themselves this term, Benitez watched his players ship twice before they staged any form of response. For Evertonians, and for Benitez, it felt like Groundhog Day.

He may now reflect on his six months in charge and never be quite as irate as the club’s supporters at the current situation, but the players must also take accountability.

After all, both of Norwich’s goals were of Everton’s own making, with Michael Keane’s own goal coming 92 seconds before Ben Godfrey’s poor pass contributed to Adam Idah making it two.

Everton have won just 19 points from their 19 league games this season – only twice previously have they had fewer at this stage of a Premier League campaign. Senior members of the squad must come forward and lead by example, but calls for Benitez to be relieved of his duties became too hard to ignore.

RAFA BENITEZ’S RECORD

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Everton have conceded the first goal in 16 of their 22 games in all competitions this season, including each of their last nine games.

Everton have won just 19 points from their 19 league games this season – only twice previously have they had fewer at this stage of a Premier League campaign (17 in 1997-98 and 2005-06).

Everton’s next fixtures

January 22: Aston Villa (H) – Premier League

February 5: Brentford (H) – FA Cup

February 8: Newcastle (A) – Premier League

February 12: Leeds (H) – Premier League

February 19: Southampton (A) – Premier League

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