Sam Allardyce would 'consider' Everton post as Carlo Ancelotti distances himself from role

Former England manager Sam Allardyce would consider taking the reins at Everton but believes the Toffees are in a really sticky situation after they succumbed to their sixth loss of the Premier League season against Leicester City on Sunday (29 October).

The Merseysiders deservedly suffered a 2-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium and currently lie in 18th place in the league table with just eight points from their opening 10 matches. Interim boss David Unsworth is unlikely to be given the job on a permanent basis, with Burnley boss Sean Dyche seen as the frontrunner to take over from the dismissed Ronald Koeman.

Allardyce, who left Crystal Palace in the summer in order to take some time out of football, has not been mentioned as a potential successor to Koeman, who was relieved of his duties last week, but admitted he would think about returning to the game if the Everton hierarchy asked the question.

"Who knows? I'd have to consider that, if that phone call happens," Allardyce was quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo. "There's no point in speculating at the moment, David Unsworth is in the chair.

"Joe (Royle) sat upstairs will have an opinion but at the moment it looks like it's really going to be tough for Everton to get out of that position.

"It's not that the lads are not trying but as a team collectively they can't get a clean sheet and as a team in possession they can't score a goal. Those are the two problems and if you resolve one you'll end up resolving the other and that starts with the clean sheets."

"They know what the problems are, they just perhaps want a bit of guidance now how to rectify those problems."

Allardyce has a tremendous record of achieving Premier League survival with struggling sides, but Everton, who spent around £150m this summer as they attempted to kickstart a bold, new era at Goodison Park, may be looking for more glamorous name.

Former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti may be a man that would appeal to majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, who is determined to see Everton compete with the other footballing powerhouses in the north, but the Italian is in no rush to return to work having been sacked by the Bundesliga champions last month.

"I have time to watch football now, I am looking for new opportunities but not from now," Ancelotti said. "My contract with Bayern expires at the end of the season and that's when I'll start listening to new offers.

"I want a serious project that can give me time and serenity even though I know it's not easy. I am just waiting something will come."

"The Premier League is a very interesting league of course. The atmosphere is amazing there even if Bundesliga stadiums are also great. I don't know where I could end up, Italy is a solution as well.

"Every day there are new speculations about my future. Croatia, China, Everton, Chelsea. Don't make my friend Antonio [Conte] upset, I always talk to him."