Get stuck in ahead of Old Trafford tie

Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti has been linked with the Goodison Park hotseat, along with ex-everton manager David Moyes and Mikel Arteta, the former Toffees midfielder who is currently assistant at Manchester City.

Keane feels whatever appointment is eventually decided upon by the club, Everton’s new manager will be inheriting a high-calibre team, no matter what the current table may suggest.

“The potential in the squad is massive,” said Keane, who started his career as a trainee at Manchester United.

“I see what everyone is like in training every day. The talent is there, no doubt.

“We’ve shown that to the fans at certain times, especially at the end of last season when we were brilliant for the last three or four months.

“We gained a bit of confidence from last weekend, but we know we’ve got a talented squad.”

Keane came through United’s academy system, playing five times for the senior side, and made a permanent move to Everton during the summer of 2017 following a spell at Burnley.

Jesse Lingard, meanwhile, has revealed how a heart-to-heart with Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer helped give him a second chance to kickstart his season.

The 26-year-old midfielder found himself taking on more family responsibilities for his younger brother and sister after his mother fell ill.

Lingard admits the extra burden had impacted on his playing performances during the first part of the season.

However, after opening up to Solskjaer and making a return to form, the midfielder is looking forward to tackling the challenges ahead.

“I am normally quite bubbly and want to put smiles on people’s faces, but people have seen the change in my ways,” Lingard said.

“I have been down and glum, just worrying. I felt like everybody just passed all the stuff to me and it weighed on my shoulders. It was like, ‘Here you go Jesse, you deal with this on your own’.

Lingard added: “I wasn’t performing and he was on me all the time. He (Solskjaer) wanted more from me.

“I felt it was best to get everything off my chest and tell him why my head wasn’t right, so I knocked on his door.”

The England international feels he can now focus on playing again.

“When I came on the manager said to me, ‘just go on and play with a smile and enjoy it’. To hear that gives you confidence. He knows what kind of character I am. I need to be smiling.

“He has just told me that everything will be OK. Maybe I just needed someone to say that,” said Lingard.