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LONDON. – Everton have sacked manager Ronald Koeman after Sunday’s 5-2 home defeat by Arsenal left them in the English Premier League soccer relegation zone. A statement said the club “would like to express their gratitude to Ronald for the service he has given to the club over the past 16 months”. A statement released yesterday at lunchtime also read: “Everton Football Club can confirm that Ronald Koeman has left the club.

“Chairman Bill Kenwright, the board of directors and major shareholder Farhad Moshiri would all like to express their gratitude to Ronald for the service he has given to the club over the past 16 months and for guiding the club to seventh place in last season’s Premier League campaign.”

The Dutchman was then informed yesterday by chairman Kenwright and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri that his services were no longer required after they watched Everton capitulate against Arsenal on Sunday.

The Toffees are 18th in the English Premier League and have won just two of their nine league games this season.

The club spent heavily in the summer on Michael Keane, Davy Klaassen, Jordan Pickford, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney, but now lie 18th in the table having made their third-worst start to a Premier League campaign.

The loss at Goodison Park on Sunday was Everton’s fifth consecutive match without a victory, with the Toffees having won just two league games this season, while they are also bottom of their Europa League group after two defeats and a draw in their first three matches.

Koeman said before the Arsenal game that Everton’s owners had faith in him to turn his side’s poor form around. However, the club’s hierarchy released a statement yesterday announcing that the Dutchman had left his position.

“I still believe I can change the whole situation,” Koeman had said on Sunday. – BBC Sport.