Koeman confident he still has backing of Everton board

Ronald Koeman is confident he retains the support of Everton's board ahead of their crunch Europa League tie with Lyon.

The Toffees boss met with members of the club's hierarchy, including majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright, when they were at Everton's training base last week.

Moshiri and Kenwright were on site to assess a recent redevelopment at Finch Farm, but they are yet to see the dividends from their significant summer investment on the playing side with Koeman's renovated squad.

Everton have won just two of their eight Premier League fixtures and have taken only one point from their two Europa League games, with Lyon's visit to Goodison Park on Thursday a potentially pivotal date in their continental campaign.

Koeman heads into it with belief that he has boardroom backing, even if he is realistic enough to accept his position's security is dependent on results.

"There was not really a message but the feeling is that they (Everton's board) are behind the team, they are behind the manager,'' the Dutchman said of last week's discussions with the board.

"Everybody knows in football that's a nice thing but in football always, finally, it's all about results. Until now it's full, total support from the board, yes.''

Craig Shakespeare, sacked by Leicester on Tuesday, said at the weekend that managers are only ever four results away from scrutiny, and the suggestion a crisis could soon be on the horizon for Koeman was put to him at Wednesday's press conference.

Ahead of fixtures with Lyon, Arsenal, Chelsea and Leicester, a smiling Koeman replied: "Maybe I'm (already) in the crisis?"

"But everybody knows in football the manager's job is a really difficult job because things change really fast. Most of the time the manager doesn't get time to improve the team."

"It's football, it's hard to take for the managers but it's part of the job.''

Lyon's visit has brought Holland international Memphis Depay back to England for the first time since he was sold by Manchester United in January following an uneventful 18 months at Old Trafford.

The forward scored just seven times in United's fabled number seven shirt and only started once in his final six months at the club, not that he is keen on using his return to the north west as a time to reminisce.

"I think looking back...it's not necessary right now,'' Depay said.

"We have to look forward. I think I have spoken before in interviews, said what I had to say and now it's on me to focus on what's ahead of me."

"I'm very excited to be back, to play and I think it will be a good match. I'm very excited with what I can show to the people"