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Marco Silva says every Everton player is fighting hard to prove he is good enough to be part of the plans this season – and avoid being a victim of a major squad cull.

But while the new Blues' boss admits he has been “impressed” by many in the ranks it appears his mind is already made up on others.

Silva used 20 different outfield players in Saturday's club record 22-0 win over the hapless ATV Irdning in Austria.

The 41-year-old coach, and director of football Marcel Brands, are attempting to reduce the first-team's bloated squad to 25 players this summer and have already sold Ramiro Funes Mori and Wayne Rooney, allowed Joel Robles to leave and sent Luke Garbutt out on loan.

Yet there remains significant work to do and with eight players missing the rout of Irdning either through injury or holidays - and with no new players yet signed - Everton's squad remains too big.

Silva, who has worked with the players for two weeks, says every member of the squad is showing the right attitude but hinted he has already decided who to axe.

“Of course it is not easy to analyse the game,” Silva told the ECHO.

“Of course, we expected a different level, the level was really low but most important for me – and it's what I told the players before the match – it is not important the level of our opponent.

“Next week we will have a tough week and the level of our opponents will grow but the most important thing today was to be serious every time.

“They enjoyed moments of the game but, or course, as the result was getting worse for our opponent the game got a little bit slower but it is normal in these type of situations.

“We can analyse some of today but also all week. The players worked hard, they showed me what they want and the desire to play in our team.”

But when asked if his opinion of the players had changed – for better or worse – in the time he's worked with them, Silva said: “All my ideas I will keep to myself, like is normal in these situations.

“I knew, very well, most of the players before I came and I am analysing some of our young boys as well.

“But it is normal, some have really impressed me but the others I know. This is nothing new for me.”