Rafa Benitez admitted his future is "not in my hands" after a defeat at Norwich piled more pressure on the beleaguered Everton boss.
Michael Keane’s own-goal put Norwich ahead and Adam Idam doubled their lead in the first half before Richarlison’s spectacular overhead kick reduced the deficit.
But Everton were unable to fight back any further and Benitez faced calls for his head from the fans who had made the journey, with one of them leaving him in no doubt whatsoever that he wanted him out after racing past stewards on to the pitch.
Benitez said: “We are disappointed like the fans. We have to improve things on the pitch and with players coming back we have to make the right decisions.
“I am a professional and I have enough experience.
“I came here to fix issues that were coming from the last five years.
“What I have to do now is analyse the mistakes we are making and make sure we avoid them for the future. The rest is not in my hands.”
Benitez is feeling the heat like never before in his reign as Everton manager after an embarrassing defeat at Norwich.
The Canaries started the day bottom of the Premier League — a position they have occupied for most of the season.
But they ended it a lofty 18th, their highest league placing this season.
The final whistle was greeted with chants of ‘Sack the board’ from those Evertonians who had made the journey to Norfolk.
Those same tongues having made clear their feelings towards the manager again when they joined in with Norwich supporters’ playful goading that he was getting ‘sacked in the morning’.
There were more personal jibes, too, those of a ‘Spanish waiter’ nature.
And when one fan made it on to the pitch during the first half, he left the manager in no doubt whatsoever what — or whom — was invoking his ire, even if he only made it halfway across the playing surface.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Everton sack Rafa Benitez?
It really is hard to see this relationship, if that’s what you can call it, lasting much longer and quite why Benitez would want it to is anyone’s guess. Money aside, of course.
He added: “We didn’t start the game well in terms of control.
“After we made a couple of mistakes we had another mountain to climb.
“We changed in the second half with two new players and the team was much better and more dominant, and the players who are coming back will make the team stronger.
“I am really disappointed we lost and disappointed for the fans travelling to support — it’s not an ideal situation.”
