Sam Allardyce has claimed that he was aware that Everton were thinking of replacing him two months before his exit from Goodison Park.

The Toffees appointed Allardyce at the end of November, and the former England boss went on to register 10 wins and seven draws from 26 games as he took the club to eighth place in the Premier League.

However, supporters voiced their opinion from the stands and on social media as they criticised the style of football used by Allardyce, and the 63-year-old has suggested that Everton started to make plans to sack him long before the end of the season.

Allardyce told Goals on Sunday: "I went to Everton, not to do a 'save me' job, but to go and build a big club like that to greater things.

"With good finances behind it, which has been what Everton have been short of for a number of years, would've been the right way but it was not to be. In the end, I knew I was leaving about two months before I left.

"I'm too old and too wise not to know what is going on behind the scenes. If they thought they were keeping it quiet, they don't know how many people I know and what was going on behind the scenes but I kept professional."

Marco Silva is now in charge of the Merseyside outfit, and the Portuguese began his reign with a 2-2 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday evening.