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People haven't fought over a West Ham match so fiercely since the Inter City Firm were at the height of their notoriety.

David Unsworth was the Everton caretaker-manager on the November night The Hammers were hammered at Goodison Park, while Sam Allardyce sat in the Main Stand, a day before being formally appointed Blues boss.

Unsworth selected the side. Unsworth delivered the tactics. And Unsworth coached the team from the touchline, proudly taking the plaudits from the Gwladys Street End.

But it seems that Big Sam, still 24-hours away from putting pen to paper on an Everton contract, also had an impact.

"I came in for West Ham and spoke to the players,” he said. “It helped have a positive affect. David does the last game and he gets the win. We both benefit from that and move forward."

Who takes the credit is significant.

Everton were 17th before that match, 13th afterwards.

It doesn't sound like quite so impressive a relegation rescue act taking charge of a team almost in mid-table.

(Image: James Maloney)

After all, how can you claim the credit for putting out a fire that hasn't ignited?

But Sam's arithmetic suggests he IS counting that West Ham match.

"Where we have gone from there, I consider it my contribution," he said "which is 30 points from 21 games, rather than 13 games, 12 points."

Without that West Ham match Sam has only taken charge of 20 Premier League games at Everton.

Including the Hammers it's 21.

With West Ham, Unsworth can claim an average of 1.4 points from his five Premier League matches in charge, and Allardyce 1.35 points (27 from 20).

Give Allardyce the credit for West Ham and his average creeps above Unsworth to 1.42.

And there's no doubt he is claiming the credit.

"I had a contribution to play in the victory over West Ham that day," he said. "I spoke to the players before the game. The players reacted. I’m not saying they reacted to what I said but they certainly reacted to a new manager on the door.



“When a new manager comes in, even if he hasn’t taken a coaching session, the players go out and respond to it. They think, ‘I have got to prove that I deserve my place in the side’. That contributed to what was a great victory.”

(Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

His presence undoubtedly did have an impact, if not his words.

Players present in the dressing room that night confirmed that Allardyce didn't deliver a Churchillian address, but more a "Good Luck, lads."

After all, he still wasn't officially Everton manager.

It all seems a little churlish - and an indication of how keen Allardyce is to secure his place as Blues boss.

Last week it was the club's Director of Marketing whose reputation was damaged. This week it's David Unsworth.

Both are lifelong Evertonians. But that hasn't stopped them becoming collateral damage in Big Sam's job hunt.

In the same newspaper interview last week Allardyce added: "Even David Unsworth said he could not wait for the new manager to be appointed.

"He was saying before the West Ham game, ‘get me out of this position, get a new manager appointed because I am struggling to cope and these players have got no confidence’. That is where I came from.”

To use newspaper parlance, Unsworth has been spectacularly 'twirled'.

After back to back defeats to Atalanta and Southampton, Unsworth undoubtedly wanted a new manager appointed quickly.

But he still hoped it would be him.

“The club need to appoint someone as quickly as possible,” he said after the defeat to Southampton

“If it’s me, great. If it’s not, I will shake the man by the hand and wish him all the luck in the world.”

Not exactly the words of a man struggling to cope.

And Unsworth was also aware that upcoming games against West Ham and Huddersfield Town could have a huge impact on Everton's campaign.

Asked if the club was in crisis, he replied: “I wouldn’t use the word crisis. I think we’re in a really tough moment. I think we need to stand firm, we’ve had a lot of away games against decent opposition.

"We’ve now got two massive games coming up at Goodison and they will be key.

“If you ask me that after the next two games I will probably be able to give you a fairer assessment. We’re in a tough moment and if we don’t start winning quickly it might be a crisis situation.”

It wasn't.

Everton won three days later - David Unsworth's farewell gift as Everton caretaker-boss.

Or was it?

It depends on whose point of view you're listening to ...