The dust has started to settle. The fall-out from last weekend’s 1–2 loss against Bournemouth is almost over — but not quite.

Oddly, it’s our oft-cited enemy from London, Arsenal, who have put the brakes on the runaway bandwagon that was calling for the instant dismissal of Mark Hughes. Their 2–5 victory over Everton at Goodison Park meant that the Potters escaped the relegation zone prior to Monday morning.

It may be temporary. It may be due to goal-difference. But for now, we’re not in the red zone.

Strong and Stable

Everton’s board of directors, though, acted swiftly and decisively. Whilst Arsenal fans were settling down with a mug of cocoa and Match of the Day 2, there were suggestions on social media that Ronald Koeman had been issued his P45.

By Monday lunchtime, those rumours were proven to be true.

Peter Coates, meanwhile, continues to stick to his guns over Mark Hughes. But for how long?

Defeat the previous weekend to Manchester City was, unfortunately, somewhat expected. The goals conceded column may have taken a battering, and no doubt the defence’s confidence took a huge hit too. But defeat to a team sitting on just four points, without an away win this season, and stuck firmly in the relegation zone has been a bridge-too-far for many of the Potters faithful.

Coates’ previous rhetoric has been akin to Theresa May’s Brexit Strategy: strength, stability and no rash actions.

But given Hughes has now had circa 18 months of disappointing results and — most importantly — performances, it would hardly be called ‘rash’, now.

The Replacements

There is, of course, the argument of “who to replace him with”. It’s a tough decision, with few clubs likely to allow their own manager to walk away at this stage of the season.

Could Koeman, in fact, be the man to replace Hughes? He did well at Everton last season, and it could be argued that the dip in form this season is the result of losing and not replacing goalscorer Romelu Lukaku — whilst it’s common knowledge that the distraction of Thursday night Europa League football has an affect on league performance. It happened with the Potters previously, and Manchester United suffered similarly last season.

Koeman has history in the Premier League, too, having guided Southampton to giddy heights following Mauricio Pocchetino’s move to Tottenham.

Elsewhere, the more familiar names make an appearance. Alan Pardew, Sam Allardyce and Rafael Benitez. Would it even be possible to convince Rafa to leave Newcastle? It’s possible, given their current turmoil.

Whatever the outcome, though, one thing is certain.

As fans, we have to support the players on the pitch.

Complacency

Premier League complacency has begun to creep in and, unfortunately, that’s meant a drop in the vociferous support which saw us through the first three years after our promotion.

We were famed for our vocal-backing. The stadium infamously gained the reputation of being a ‘bear-pit’. The 20-odd-thousand fans packing the stadium were frequently referred to as the “Twelfth Man” — and rightly so.

More recently, though, that reputation has dissipated.

We welcome teams, now: rather than making them fear their reception, they look forward to it.

It doesn’t matter who’s in the suit on the touchline. It matters who pulls on those red-and-white stripes.

Right now, those eleven who take to the pitch need us to be united behind them. Let’s make the bet365 Stadium rock again — and show the Premier League what we’re made of.

Vis Unita Fortior.