Rafael Benitez's sacking at Everton has once again left the club scouring the market for a new boss, with former manager Roberto Martinez and ex-star Wayne Rooney in the frame.
Duncan Ferguson is once again on standby to resume his role as Everton caretaker boss after Spaniard Benitez became the fifth man to be dismissed by majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.
But whoever comes in at Goodison Park faces the monumental challenge of reviving a squad that has won just once in the Premier League since September and that sits six points above the relegation zone.
Reports suggest the Toffees' squad value sits somewhere between £350million-£400m mark, way above the figure you would expect for a side that sits 16th in the top-flight table.
So with Benitez having lost his job, plenty of scrutiny will now turn to the squad that has underwhelmed by some distance so far this season, with many players seemingly facing bleak futures.
But after their shocking run of results, who should be allowed to be part of the new manager's plans, and who should not? And who still needs time to convince? Sportsmail runs through the Toffees squad....
Jordan Pickford - KEEP
One of the rocks the new boss should be able to build upon given his development at the club in the last couple of seasons.
The 27-year-old has only kept three clean sheets so far this season, but most would agree that blame should be laid at the door of the defence rather than his.
England's No 1 had an outstanding Euro 2020 and currently leads the way to being first choice in Qatar too, and with a heavy rebuilding job necessary, the manager will need players of Pickford's experience to rely upon as a form of stability.
Jonjoe Kenny - SELL
Out in the cold under Rafael Benitez, it is very difficult to see how the academy product turns his fortunes around at Goodison Park.
The Spaniard was not the first manager to disapprove of the 24-year-old, who has made just three Premier League appearances this term and six across all competitions.
He was not fancied much by Carlo Ancelotti and was therefore shipped out for a disappointing loan spell at Celtic for the second half of last season. His situation is now further complicated by the arrival of Nathan Patterson from Rangers earlier this month.
Kenny said last month: 'If this [playing time] is not possible at a certain point in time at the home club, then as a professional footballer you have to be ready to take a different path for your development, in order to do what you love again: to be on the field.'
Perhaps that time has already come.
Mason Holgate - SELL
Mason Holgate's appeared to emerge as a bright spark in Everton's defence in the season before last.
However, slowly but surely the 25-year-old has come to lose his place in the XI, and has not managed to take the 10 opportunities handed to him this season to prove himself amid a number of defensive injuries.
His red card against Tottenham in November was a particular nadir, with many fans slamming him for being a 'liability' following dangerous foul play on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Burnley are reportedly interested in signing him, and should that opportunity arise the Toffees would be well-advised to move him on.
Michael Keane - SELL
Keane scored an own goal at Norwich which helped bring about Everton's tenth defeat of the campaign so far, and which demonstrated just the latest loss of concentration.
Toffees fans for years have been concerned with the 29-year-old's ability to put a series of good performances together, and are always wondering when the next mistake is coming when he is playing well.
He has also been at fault for plenty of goals, including Brighton's second goal in their 3-2 win at Goodison Park earlier this month, having lost Dan Burn from a corner, and Yerry Mina will now surely take his place now that he is fit again.
Keane his lack of pace and bad-decision making has not helped matters, with former Blackburn team-mate Paul Robinson slamming him for 'making too many mistakes', claiming he needs to show more leadership at Everton.
He will be 30 in 12 months' time, an age when many defenders have established a stability to their play. Barring a miracle, that will not arrive for Keane and the club must therefore look for a calmer experienced head or a hungrier young option.
Allan - KEEP
One of the better signings Everton have made under Moshiri, the 31-year-old Brazilian has emerged as an important member of the squad, and should continue to be so.
He established an excellent midfield partnership with Abdoulaye Doucoure after they both joined ahead of the 2020-21 season, but the duo's respective unavailability at various points has ruined any chances of it being a regular occurrence this season.
A well-liked member of the squad who is appreciated for his selfless style of play, the Toffees need to keep hold of the players who contributed to their top-half finish last season.
He certainly was one, and perhaps the addition of a defensive midfielder could even take his game to another level. Whether he will stick around much longer, amid reported interest from Maurizio Sarri's Lazio, is another matter.
Richarlison - KEEP
Separate knee and calf injuries have kept the Brazil international away from the action for longer than Everton would have hoped, to devastating effect.
Yet despite his injury problems, he has still managed to score a sixth of the club's goals in the Premier League this season, and scored his 50th goal in English football to cap a stunning individual performance against Arsenal.
A star of Brazilian football who will hope to play some part for his country at the 2022 World Cup, there will be no lack of motivation on his part to try and propel his club back up the table.
His superb overhead kick against Norwich means he should now come back into the starting XI again after overcoming his latest injury, and demonstrate how a player who has already contributed so much to them is primed to develop further.
Fabian Delph - SELL
The midfielder has continued to struggle with injuries at Goodison Park and only when push came to shove amid an injury crisis was he given a few games under Benitez.
Undoubtedly a player with experience on his side but one who has only managed to play 30 matches in the Premier League for the Merseyside outfit since joining from Manchester City in 2019.
Benitez also went public to confirm he was ready to sell the 20-cap England international in the summer, and given that he is out of contract at Goodison Park in June, that stance is unlikely to have changed despite the Spaniard's departure, with this month's window the club's last chance to recoup some money for him.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin - KEEP
The jewel in the crown as it were, how different would Everton's season have been so far had their star striker not missed 16 Premier League games with a fractured toe?
The answer to that we will never know, but his return of 16 league goals in 33 games would suggest the picture would be at worst a little less bleak.
The England international remains one of his country's best strikers and has the athleticism and strength to match his prowess in front of goal both in the air and on the floor.
Everton's new boss will undoubtedly look to build a team around him, but given their likely finish in the bottom half of the table, will the club be able to resist big offers that could arrive for him from the likes of Arsenal this summer?
Demarai Gray - KEEP
Only signed in the summer from Bayer Leverkusen for £1.7m, the speedy winger was the only player recruited in the previous transfer window who commanded a fee.
His early form however suggested they had struck a bargain with the Bundesliga outfit, netting three goals in his opening four Premier League games.
However he has scored just twice since then, albeit in huge home games in the Merseyside derby and against Arsenal, but he still represents one of their better-performing players this season and someone who has not been helped by those around him
He is perhaps one of the players who can kick on first under the guidance of Ferguson and then the next permanent boss, to allow him to find the sort of goalscoring form that saw him dazzle the crowds very early on in 2021-22.
Yerry Mina - KEEP
Much like Calvert-Lewin, the question will always remain as to how different Everton's fortunes would be had the Colombian been fit for the majority of this season.
Mina has played just 31 minutes of football since early October as his comeback game after a calf problem ended with a first-half substitution last month.
The Toffees have missed his commanding presence and leadership in his absence at the back, but following his return against Norwich he can hopefully now stay injury free and help shore up a leaky defence.
The former Barcelona man however is likely to fall into a similar category as Calvert-Lewin in the summer as a player who the club would hope to keep but will no doubt attract attention from clubs competing in Europe, with AC Milan reportedly interested.
Andros Townsend - KEEP
The winger may not have age on his side but he remains one of Everton's most effective attacking options.
A joy to watch when he is at his best, he continues to cause problems for defences and can help relieve pressure off those behind him by quickly getting the ball up the field.
He may not have scored in the league since netting the equaliser at Manchester United in October but he has been in fine form in the cups, scoring the winner in the FA Cup third-round tie against Hull.
An excellent experienced option for the new boss to have, the 30-year-old is certainly worth keeping around during what is set to be another period of transition.
Asmir Begovic - SELL
Once a Premier League regular with the likes of Stoke and Bournemouth, the Bosnia international does not have long left at the top level.
The 34-year-old joined in the summer as back-up to Pickford on a 12-month deal, but it is unlikely the option for a further year will be taken up with his chances of usurping the England goalkeeper all but over.
He has made just one league appearance this season and it is perhaps time for one last hurrah as a regular somewhere else before his career draws to a close and allow the Toffees to add a younger option as his replacement.
Abdoulaye Doucoure - KEEP
Another vital cog in the Everton machine who has also missed vital chunks of the campaign, the Toffees have missed the Frenchman's presence in midfield.
He may have missed just four games with injury, but Allan's absences have also led to their inability to recreate the level that saw them flourish as a duo in the middle of the park under Ancelotti.
A smart piece of business conducted in the summer of 2020, Doucoure has had a more advanced role this season, but would likely benefit from having more defensive cover behind him.
But with a couple of goals and four assists this season, the 29-year-old has demonstrated he can chip in and make vital contributions with team-mates functioning around him.
Alex Iwobi - SELL
Perhaps the most notable example of the poor recruitment policy under Moshiri, the versatile Nigerian has flattered to deceive from the moment he arrived.
He cost a whopping £35million from Arsenal on deadline day in 2019 but is more of an option from the bench, having started just seven top-flight games this season.
The 25-year-old has had his fair share of chances under three managers but has always underwhelmed when he plays, failing to nail down a starting spot ahead of the likes of Richarlison and Gray.
A spell at right wing-back appeared to offer him a chance of redemption but now he appears more than ever as an expensive flop.
Cenk Tosun - SELL
A man who has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park for a while now, the Turk has contributed little since arriving in 2018.
The 30-year-old forward has said he does not want to leave this month but his contract expires at the end of the season, leaving the Toffees in a sticky spot.
He has seen just six minutes of top-flight action this season, a pitiful amount especially given the number of injuries the club have suffered this season.
Benitez had little faith in him and it seems now the forward is headed for a move on a free in the summer.
Andre Gomes - SELL
An incredibly gifted midfielder who has been unlucky with injuries, Gomes has been through a lot at Everton.
A horrific ankle injury in November 2019 however may have played a huge part in an undoubtable regression since his first season on loan at the club.
There are still flashes of brilliance, and given what he showed for Valencia and Barcelona, that comes as not surprise.
A calf injury has restricted him to just eight league games this season, adding to fears he will ever be able to go a run of games without breaking down.
That, added to the subsequent inconsistency means the Toffees may well be advised to look elsewhere to freshen up their midfield.
Ben Godfrey - KEEP
Having failed to recreate his performances in 2020-21 at centre-back this season, Godfrey has been filling in at left-back following Lucas Digne's omission from the squad.
Godfrey made his first breakthrough at Everton last year at left-back following an injury to the Frenchman, and impressed with a string of excellent displays while playing out of position.
The former Norwich City man has revelled in the challenge of balancing the defensive and attacking responsibilities every full-back faces, but looks like a secure option there for the future.
Seamus Coleman – KEEP (but as second choice)
The Republic of Ireland international has been a fine servant to the club, but at the age of 33 is no longer capable of bombing up and whipping crosses in from the right all the while not shirking his defensive duties, as he used to.
The issue is the alternative - until very recently - has been an underwhelming academy graduate Jonjoe Kenny.
Nathan Patterson's arrival should see him become first-choice, but Coleman would be an excellent back-up given the experience he brings and the way he has played for the club over the years.
Anthony Gordon - KEEP
Now the in-form player in the Everton side, Gordon has added strength to the undoubted technical ability he has possessed through his time in the academy.
His running with the ball has improved and he is now able to hold off defenders and really get his side ticking.
A couple of goals against Brighton would only have helped make him feel more settled in the first-team, but 16 league appearances in which he has demonstrated considerable talent suggests the 20-year-old should be a player the club build around.
Jean-Philippe Gbamin - SELL
Gbamin made his first Premier League start of the season at Wolves in November, with the 26-year-old having made just four appearances in two years following horrendous luck with injuries.
Transfermarkt claim he has missed 86 games for the Toffees since joining from Mainz in 2019, and he looked far off the pace and intensity of a Premier League game at Molineux.
Reports suggest the Ivorian has already been told he can leave this month, as he currently represents just a one of a number of midfield misfits at Goodison Park.
Tom Davies - SELL
Davies' progress has recently been stalled by injury, having undergone surgery in London on a hamstring injury last week.
But in truth the 23-year-old has struggled to kick on after breaking through into the first team in 2016.
Used sparingly this season, his career at Everton was summed up in the 5-2 home defeat by Watford in October, scoring a goal but then having his lack of mobility in midfield exposed on a few occasions.
With the midfield needing a complete reset, perhaps it is best for the former England U21 star to seek a fresh challenge.
Andy Lonergan - SELL
The third-choice goalkeeper who again joined in the summer as cover, Lonergan has yet to play a minute all season.
The 38-year-old may be content to see out what remains of his career at the club, but if Everton want to push Pickford and challenge him to become even better, they will need a superior alternative to Lonergan.
Jarrad Branthwaite - KEEP
Amid all the negativity around the club currently, Branthwaite - along with Gordon - represents cause for optimism.
The 19-year-old centre back was the Toffees' hero at Chelsea last month, earning an unlikely point in a 1-1 draw at Stamford for a depleted visiting team with a fine finish at the back post.
He still undoubtedly has much to learn in terms of defending, particularly in a back three, but there are positive signs from players like him who are ready to make their mark in the first team.
Salomon Rondon - SELL
Very much a Benitez signing, the Venezuelan has shown a lack of fitness and quality since arriving in the summer and should now be on the way out.
The former Newcastle striker has found the net just once after following Benitez from Dalian Professional to Everton.
His poor return in front of goal has taken on even more significance in Calvert-Lewin's absence for the majority of the campaign.
Ellis Simms - KEEP
Part of the injury-ravaged side that drew at Stamford Bridge, Simms is another youngster Everton fans have high hopes for.
The forward, who joined the club at the age of 16 after time at Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers, has impressed at U18 and U23 level and put in an excellent shift before being replaced just after an hour at Stamford Bridge.
He has dropped back down to U23 level recently in search of more game time but a new contract signed last month shows there are few inside the club who doubt the 21-year-old centre-forward's time in the first team will come again.
January signings - JURY'S OUT
Everton have so far made three signings this month, and while it is too early to judge any of them, Vitaliy Mykolenko had a Premier League debut to forget at Carrow Road.
The Ukrainian - bought in as Lucas Digne's replacement - failed to stop the Josh Sargent cross which led to Michael Keane's own goal.
He could allowed Norwich to score a third he inexplicably tried to pass back to Jordan Pickford, not realising Idah was there.
A poor performance no doubt, but one which it would be unfair to read too much into given Everton's sorry state. Aston Villa loanee Anwar El Ghazi and ex-Rangers full-back Nathan Patterson will look to make a better first impression on their debuts.
