Sky Sports News reporter Alan Myers examines what is going on behind the scenes at Everton and analyses what could happen next at Goodison Park after Marco Silva’s sacking…
Over the past six to eight weeks it is clear there have been differing schools of thought behind the scenes on what is the best way forward for Everton.
Marco Silva and his backroom staff were always popular with both the players and staff at Goodison Park and he was seen as a calm, approachable figure around their Finch Farm training ground.
But the Toffees' 5-2 defeat to their fiercest rivals Liverpool in Wednesday's Merseyside derby, which saw them drop into the relegation places in the Premier League, had to end his 19-month spell in charge.
Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri felt the Portuguese head coach's time on Merseyside was up and had been liaising with chairman Bill Kenwright, director of football Marcel Brands and a number of other trusted advisers on who should replace him.
So what happens now the Portuguese has gone?
Kenwright is known to favour the return of David Moyes, renewing a Goodison partnership that proved successful between 2002 and 2013.
It is thought that one consideration would be for Moyes to return and be assisted by Everton favourite Tim Cahill.
Under-23 boss David Unsworth taking on the role until the end of the season is also an option on the table.
Brands was resolute in his support for Silva - the man Moshiri brought to Goodison from Watford in May 2018 - but was forced to re-consider and began to implement his plans for life after the 42-year-old.
What solution Brands favours is less clear. Probably a more long-term view that perhaps reflects what he sees as the future for the club and not necessarily just about the immediate issues at hand.
But what does this mean for the club going forward?
What is certain is that it will be Moshiri who will make the final decision on the new man.
He will also have outside influences attempting to steer him towards various options - Portuguese Vitor Pereira being one of those. Whatever way he goes, he will disappoint some in the process for sure.
In the short term Duncan Ferguson, who has been placed in temporary charge, will attempt to halt a worrying slide into the relegation zone.
Moshiri's massive investment is at risk if the club cannot free itself from the threat of a relegation fight which nobody at the club was expecting at the start of the season.
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