October 22, 2022, marks five years since Ronald Koeman took charge of his final game at Everton. A humbling 5-2 defeat on home soil at the hands of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal was the final straw for Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri who dismissed the Dutchman less than 48 hours after the full-time whistle.
Goals from Nacho Monreal, Mesut Ozil, Alexander Lacezette, Aaron Ramsay and Alexis Sanchez condemned the Blues to damning defeat and left them 18th in the Premier League table.
Despite the thrashing, the former Barcelona defender believed he was the right man to change fortunes at Goodison Park. "I still believe I can change the whole situation but everybody knows how it works in football. That is all I answer about this situation so ask somebody else," said Koeman to the BBC full-time. However, that would be his last appearance as Everton's manager.
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Here is the starting XI Koeman picked for his final game.
Jordan Pickford
Signed for Everton from Sunderland for £30m in the summer of 2017 by Koeman and is still at Goodison Park now. Undisputedly England and the Blues' No.1.
Phil Jagielka
Ended his twelve-year stay at Goodison Park in the summer of 2019 and joined Sheffield United. Has since had spells at Derby County and recently signed for Stoke City.
Michael Keane
Keane was another member of the Everton squad to be signed by Koeman in the summer of 2017. However, has fallen out of favour under Frank Lampard and has made just two appearances so far this season due to the arrivals of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady.
Ashley Williams
Left the Blues after three seasons in 2019 and later had stints at Championship outfits Bristol City and Stoke City before retiring in 2020.
Jonjoe Kenny
Having joined Everton's Finch Farm academy at the age of nine, Kenny ended his 16-year stint with the Blues after rejecting a new contract in the summer. Now plies his trade in the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin.
Idrissa Gana Gueye
Departed Goodison Park in 2019 to join French champions PSG and played in a handful of Champions League semi-finals. Was re-signed by Frank Lampard this summer.
Nikola Vlašić
Another one of Koeman's signings who failed to make the grade on Merseyside. Played less than 20 times for the Blues before returning to CSKA Moscow. Made a return to the Premier League with West Ham in 2021 but is now on loan at Serie A side Torino.
Leighton Baines
A stalwart of the Premier League era under numerous Everton managers. The defender ended his 13-year stay with the Blues at the end of the 2019/2020 campaign and is now the club's U18s manager.
Wayne Rooney
Returned for a second stint at his boyhood club during Koeman's final transfer window. Rooney would depart in the summer of 2018 and embark on a journey in the US with DC United, before returning to English football with Derby County. After a stint as the Rams' manager, Rooney has now returned to his former US as boss.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Signed for £45m from Swansea in 2017, the Iceland international spent five years at Goodison Park before eventually departing in the summer once his contract expired. Is currently without a club.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Signed from Sheffield in the summer of 2017, a youthful Dominic Calvert-Lewin was tasked with leading the Blues' line in Koeman's final game in charge. Since that fateful afternoon in October 2017, despite his injuries, the 25-year-old has established himself as one of the league's best forwards and was even handed his England debut in late 2021.
On the bench for Everton that day was Ademola Lookman who is now playing for Serie A outfit Atalanta, Oumar Niasse who is without a club after his stint with League One side Burton Albion last season and Tom Davies.
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