Everton are due to hold a board meeting on Friday in which the future of manager Roberto Martinez will be discussed with the Spaniard on the brink of being sacked.

Should the meeting and Saturday’s Premier League game against Bournemouth go badly for Martinez, then the 42-year-old could even be dismissed next week.

Barring a major U-turn, it now just seems like a matter of when and not if Martinez will go – even if Everton decide to wait until the end of the season.

New majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright are expected to be present at the meeting, with Moshiri said to be particularly concerned by results and supporter dissatisfaction.