Everton have been on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Rafael Benitez following their defeat to Norwich on January 15.
After a positive start to the season, winning four of his first six Premier League games in charge, Benitez oversaw a dismal run in which the Toffees slipped down to 16th in the table and picked up just one win in the following 13 league fixtures.
But now all attention turns to who will take charge of the team next and what kind of appointment it will be, with rumours suggesting the club consider the possibility of an interim manager until the end of the season, before appointing a long-term replacement in the summer.
Duncan Ferguson has since taken over as caretaker boss in the meantime, although he is a serious contender to take on the role permanently, along with Frank Lampard and Vitor Pereira.
Either way, owner Farhad Moshiri is set to hold a final round of talks on Friday (January 28) before appointing one of those three candidates.
Frank Lampard
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Lampard is the joint favourite alongside Pereira to take the job on Merseyside, although reports suggest that he could get the nod over the Portuguese coach.
Talks have already been held with the 43-year-old but a decision still hasn't been made, although this job could be the perfect next step for the former England international, who has been out of a job since Chelsea sacked him in January 2021.
He seems a smart option for the club going forward, with supporters already fully behind his appointment, and it could be a wise move from Moshiri in order to unite an upset and restless fanbase.
Vitor Pereira
Portuguese manager Vitor Pereira has made a surprise surge to the front of the queue of candidates to take over the job at Goodison Park, with the 53-year-old having already been interviewed and impressing the hierarchy at the club.
According to reports, Pereira was set for a second round of talks and is now one of two favourites, alongside Lampard, to take over in the dugout for the Toffees, despite his lack of experience managing in the Premier League.
Moshiri was set to appoint him as manager earlier in the week but pulled back from the decision after the horrendous backlash from the fans following the news, although he is still well in the running for the job.
Duncan Ferguson
Club legend Duncan Ferguson is currently in charge of his second caretaker spell as Everton boss but is the third candidate on Moshiri's shortlist to take the job permanently.
Ferguson has been keen on taking the role on a full time basis and his connections to the club certainly give him an advantage.
However, due to his lack of managerial experience, there could be doubts over just how far he can take the club, despite having a love affair with the Goodison Park faithful.
Objective for the rest of the season
Coming in half way through the season is difficult for any manager, especially when taking over a squad that is not their own and with the January transfer window almost over, there is little time to bring in any of their own players.
So, does the new manager focus on an FA Cup run, with the potential for it to contribute to a bottom-half finish, or does he concentrate on helping Everton climb the league table and achieving as high a finish as possible?
The expectations are high at Goodison Park, so whoever is appointed will need results quickly, otherwise the pressure will mount as heavily as it did for Benitez.
Next manager odds
Next permanent Everton manager odds with Coral
Frank Lampard 1/2
Vitor Pereira 2/1
Wayne Rooney 12/1
Niko Kovac 12/1
Duncan Ferguson 16/1
Rudi Garcia 16/1
Jose Mourinho 20/1
Lucien Favre 20/1
Slaven Bilic 20/1
*odds subject to change
