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There are important partnerships running through all departments of the Everton framework.

From Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright at the sharp end of the big decisions to the collective expertise of Matt Connery and Matt Taberner in the medical and sport science departments.

From Ashley Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori at the heart of Everton's defence to Steve Walsh and his chief scout Martyn Glover in the recruitment team.

But no combination is arguably as important as the one in the Goodison dugout.

Ronald Koeman may be the man who shoulders all the pressure, the figure for whom the spotlight shines brighter than for anyone else and the person who will feel the the wielding of Everton's axe should he not deliver, or be showered in most of the glory should he succeed.

Yet behind every good manager is an equally good assistant. He'll be the first to tell you this.

There's a growing feeling around Finch Farm that Erwin Koeman is the unheralded yin to Ronald's yang, the good cop to his bad and the conduit through which the Everton players can speak to the manager when they may fear the cold shoulder.

Would Morgan Schneiderlin nutmegged Ronald, as he did Erwin, on the training ground recently?

No chance.

Ronald believes creating distance between himself and the squad is the right way to operate but Erwin still allows him to be in touch with the ebb and flow of emotions in the build-up to a game.

At training, it is believed Erwin is more hands on whereas Ronald studies, assesses and hatches the plans.

Together, they taking Everton through an evolution, but there has to be a front man and every double act has a straight man.

Such is the, relative, level of anonymity that Erwin enjoys that he chose to live in Liverpool city centre after switching the south coast for Merseyside and has often been spotted out, enjoying a pint.

Ronald, purposefully, is out on the periphery, living in the Manchester commuter belt in leafy Alderley Edge, admitting it would be impossible for him to unwind with a glass of his favourite red wine right in the heart of a such a football obsessed part of the world.

You can understand the thinking.

Ronald is leading the charge with Everton, the public face of the good and the bad on the pitch, the one who has to deal with the media and the one who carries the weight of expectation.

But you ask him and he'll tell you it's been much easier with his brother in tow.