Unsworth dismissed as ‘PE teacher’ after admitting players look scared

David Unsworth admitted Everton are facing the prospect of a relegation battle after his team dropped into the bottom three. The caretaker manager offered a blunt assessment of the season ahead following a sixth Premier League defeat at the King Power Stadium.

Everton conceded two goals in 11 first-half minutes to ensure Claude Puel made the “perfect” start as Leicester’s new manager, damaging Unsworth’s hopes of landing the Everton job permanently.

And the under-23s coach believes Everton are now gripped in a fight to avoid relegation as their season continues to unravel. “You have to be honest, we are where we are and, if we continue like this, then we are [in a relegation battle],” he said.

“Sunday’s game against Watford is massive and it’s nothing that a couple of back-to-back wins won’t sort, to give the players that touch of confidence. We need three points quickly. Whoever gets the honour of being Everton manager, including me, needs time with this set of players.”

Unsworth was criticised by Joey Barton, working as a pundit on radio,

Under pressure: David Unsworth said the next game, with Watford, has now become vital who described him as “a glorified PE teacher”. Unsworth said: “I’ve got no problem with what he said, I couldn’t care less. I wasn’t happy at all at half-time, it wasn’t the performance I expected. We were a little bit fearful and sat back for some reason. We were better in the second half, but you can’t give anyone in the Premier League two-goal starts, you’re always going to be struggling.”

Everton’s injury problems are also mounting with midfielder James Mccarthy suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury, while Michael Keane will miss Thursday’s Europa League tie against Lyon with a leg infection.

This was only Leicester’s third league victory of the season but it hinted at a bright future under Puel, after goals from Jamie Vardy and Demarai Gray. Puel’s style of play was dismissed as negative and boring at his former club Southampton, but he insisted that reputation was undeserved.

“It is a mistake, because if you saw games at Southampton we played good football and created chances,” he said. “It was very good to start with this result. They tried to play good football. It was a day that was perfect, but I hope it’s just the beginning of something.”