LONDON: Ronald Koeman became the third Premier League managerial casualty of the season on Monday when he was sacked by Everton.
The 54-year-old Dutchman — who guided Everton to seventh in his first season in charge last term — paid the price for a desperate start to the campaign despite having spent £140million ($185mn) in the close season.
Sunday’s 5-2 humbling at home to Arsenal which saw them drop into the bottom three sealed his fate and despite taking training on Monday he received a visit from club chairman Bill Kenwright.
“Everton Football Club can confirm that Ronald Koeman has left the Club,” read the Everton statement.
“Chairman Bill Kenwright, the Board of Directors and Major Shareholder Farhad Moshiri would all like to express their gratitude to Ronald for the service he has given to the Club over the past 16 months and for guiding the Club to seventh place in last season’s Premier League.”
Koeman, who arrived at Goodison Park after a successful spell in charge of Southampton, splashed the money on the likes of Icelandic international Gylfi Sigurdsson in the summer.
However, despite also persuading former golden boy Wayne Rooney to return from Manchester United he crucially failed to replace record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku with Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud declining the chance to join them.
Koeman joins compatriot Frank de Boer — sacked by Crystal Palace after just four Premier League games — and Craig Shakespeare dismissed by Leicester last week as top-level managers to have departed this season.
Everton sack manager Ronald Koeman
Everton sack manager Ronald Koeman
Monaco stun Lens 3-2 to hand PSG the chance to go top in France
- Odsonne Édouard scored early with a volley for Lens
- United States forward Folarin Balogun scored against the run of play in the 62nd
LENS, France: French league leader Lens were stunned by three second-half goals as Monaco came from behind to win 3-2 to give Paris Saint-Germain the chance to go top on Saturday.
Odsonne Édouard scored early with a volley for Lens and Florian Thauvin converted the rebound after Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Köhn could only parry a deflected shot early in the second half.
That was as good as it got for the home team, however.
United States forward Folarin Balogun scored against the run of play in the 62nd, Denis Zakaria equalized in the 70th and Ansu Fati pounced on another defensive blunder to make it 3-2 two minutes after that.
It was quite the reversal for Monaco, which led PSG 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League playoff on Tuesday after two goals from Balogun, only to lose 3-2.
Lens’ evening were summed up when Saud Abdulhamid was booked for diving instead of getting a penalty that he felt he deserved.
Lens were only a point clear of PSG before the capital club hosted last-place Metz later Saturday.
Also, Toulouse were hosting promoted Paris FC.
