There was a time not so long ago when Farhad Moshiri, Everton’s major shareholder, remained relatively anonymous and could simply sit back with his business associate Alisher Usmanov and pick apart Stan Kroenke’s running of Arsenal. How they must miss those days now.

This year, the pantomime season has come early for Everton. The club’s search for a new manager - a search being headed by Moshiri - is creating even more mess at a club that spent £140 million last summer only to find themselves sixth from bottom in the Premier League.

The major shareholder Moshiri, left, and the chairman Bill Kenwright seem to have sacked Koeman without lining up a replacement JAN KRUGER/GETTY IMAGES

To recap, Ronald Koeman was sacked on October 23 after a two-month downturn in results in which Everton won only two matches. David Unsworth was put in charge (losing three games and