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MICHAEL KEANE believes Everton’s squad needs to stand up and be counted.

With Ronald Koeman under increasing pressure, central defender Keane led the rallying call, insisting it’s the players and not the manager who should carry the can for their sloppy start. Everton have won just two Premier League games and have lost four out of seven to leave themselves just two points above the relegation zone, while they are without a win in two Europa League group games. The question is whether under-fire boss Koeman’s tactics are wrong or if the players are simply not following his orders. For Keane it is down to the players to up their game. And when asked if he felt it was up to the squad to fight for their boss, Keane said: “Of course. Everyone has to stand up and be counted. “It’s down to us at the end of the day. The manager puts a team out but we have to carry out his plans and his game plan.

Vibes

“I feel like we did that pretty well against Burnley and I feel he will say the same. It’s the final moment in the final third to create a chance and, when we do get them, taking them.” A season that started with such positive vibes – despite the sale of star striker Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United – is now under a cloud of negativity and it is only the start of October. For a side that was boosted with £150m worth of talent that is not good enough, even if major investor Farhad Moshiri feels their latest loss at home to the Clarets on Sunday was the only “unexpected” defeat. Keane added: “There are loads of great players here but you get confidence from winning and lately we have not been winning