Koeman: We will turn slump around

RONALD KOEMAN wants Everton to immediately right the wrongs of Saturday’s home humbling by Tottenham in Italy tonight.

The Toffees boss was furious when Spurs handed his side backto-back top flight defeats with a 3-0 rout at Goodison Park.

Speaking ahead of their Europa League group stage opener against Atalanta, the Dutchman believes his side will grasp the opportunity to bounce back quickly.

‘It is not what we expect from ourselves,’ Koeman said. ‘If you lose the game, you get another opportunity to put it right. So I am confident.’

He challenged his team, which will include last season’s tournament winner Wayne Rooney, to play with physicality at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia against opposition who came fourth in Serie A last year.

‘We start with a strong team,’ Koeman said. ‘After last weekend we need to react. We didn’t play with the right aggression.’

Koeman added that he believes the competition is important regardless of Manchester united’s success last year, which handed them a Champions League spot after finishing sixth.

‘I am the manager and I take this competition really seriously,’ he said. ‘To be part of Europe is important. We were out for many years but now we are back.

‘Let’s hope the journey takes us a long way. But we have to fight for it. You want to be in the Champions League — but if not the Europa League is important.’

Rooney lifted the trophy with united, and Koeman wants to channel that winning mentality.

‘Rooney is a great player and he has showed it from the start of the season,’ he said. ‘He is looking forward to the competition. He won the title last season with Manchester united.’

Meanwhile, £ 23.6m summer arrival Davy Klaassen, who was on the losing Ajax side in that Stockholm final, admits that the memory still burns.

‘I don’t want to talk about the final,’ he said. ‘I don’t need to lose in a final to be hungry. We want to reach as far as possible. We have to start with a win, get confidence and space.’

The match is being played 120 miles from Atalanta’s Atleti Azzurri d’Italia, which is currently being renovated and marks the ‘ home’ side’s first foray into Europe since 1991.