Koeman’s Europa excuse won’t wash

RONALD KOEMAN blamed the Europa League, in part, for Everton’s poor form this season. In six Premier League matches played after a European fixture, his Everton team were victorious once and lost four. Equally, they won a single game in the three played without the distraction of Europe — and that was at home to Bournemouth. It might not have been European football that was to blame. It might have been, shall we say, more of a local difficulty.