Unsworth demands 100% from Euro flop Toffees

EVERTON caretaker manager David Unsworth has demanded his under-performing players prove their commitment to the cause after the club’s heaviest European defeat at Goodison Park.

The 5-1 Europa League loss to Atalanta, the heaviest home defeat by an English side in the various guises of this competition since Nottingham Forest lost by the same scoreline to Bayern Munich in 1996, was a new low in a season which is spiralling fast.

A month after sacking Ronald Koeman the club are seemingly no nearer finding a replacement and the void created appears to be affecting matters on the pitch.

Unsworth has struggled to find a successful formula and his decision to make nine changes against the Serie A side made little difference as players who had been crying out for a chance put in an abject display in front of 17,431 fans, Everton’s second-lowest European crowd in their history.

“I’d like to think every single player is hurting the way I am at the moment and, if they are not, then they shouldn’t be here at this great club,” said Unsworth, who has now lost four and won just one of his six games in temporary charge, conceding 16 goals.

“The minimum requirement is 100% effort. Only those players will know themselves when they look themselves in the mirror at night.

“The players who have been asking me for opportunities to play in the first team were given that.

“I asked the players to make it difficult for me to leave them out of the team on Sunday and the majority have made it very easy for me.”

Eden Hazard has scored six goals in seven games since his return to fitness.