What is going on at Everton and why are fans protesting?

Everton are at a crossroads as they look for Rafael Benitez’s successor amid a backdrop of fan anger and discontent at the way the club is being run.

Here, the PA news agency look at the current situation at Goodison Park.

Not well. The Toffees are 16th in the Premier League having secured 19 points from 20 matches, with the side starting 2022 with three Premier League defeats.

A 2-1 loss to embattled Norwich was the final nail in the coffin of long disliked manager Benitez and came just days after the club allowed France international Lucas Digne to join Aston Villa.

Fan favourite Duncan Ferguson took temporary charge but failed to steer Everton to a much-needed victory, with Aston Villa winning 1-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday with Digne providing the assist.

Fury fuelled by a need for change. Before Saturday’s match a plane flew over Goodison Park calling for long-standing chairman Bill Kenwright’s departure, with the trailing banner reading “22 years of failure, Bill. Time to go”.

There was more anger on display after the final whistle as around 150 fans stayed behind to protest, chanting “Sack the board”, “Bill Kenwright, get out of our club” and “We want our club back”.

Frustration has continued to be expressed since then, with a number of supporters congregating outside the Liver Building – where Everton’s commercial offices are based – before another protest took place on Wednesday night outside Goodison Park.

Everton have no manager, director of football, head of recruitment or scouting chief, with few trusting those at the top of the club to make the right decisions and improve things.

The club have been owned by Farhad Moshiri since 2016 and the Iranian businessman certainly cannot be faulted for his financial