Everton boss Ronald Koeman implores his players to be more aggressive and admits he is worried about their confidence levels after holding crunch meeting with squad

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Ronald Koeman held a crisis meeting with Everton's players to demand an explanation for why they have allowed their standards to drop.

Everton endured a difficult trip home from Bergamo after being blitzed 3-0 by Atalanta, with their flight being delayed by a couple of hours. It meant they never got back to Merseyside until the early hours of Friday morning, darkening Koeman's already bleak mood.

He waited to address until Friday lunchtime to address the many shortcomings that were obvious in their opening Europa League game and did not hold back with his views before he left Everton's Finch Farm training base just after 2.30pm.

Everton boss Ronald Koeman held a crunch meeting with his players after string of poor results

Koeman, whose side face Manchester United on Saturday, are aiming to end a run of five games in all competitions without a win. He made a point of speaking to the senior members of Everton's group and has challenged them to take on more responsibility to stop the rot from spreading.

Koeman mentioned defender Michael Keane as someone who seems to have had a sudden loss of confidence in possession of the ball

The manner in which Everton folded against Atalanta, coming just five days after Tottenham had trampled all over them, has put Koeman in the spotlight and he is anxious that the poor sequence is having a detrimental effect on younger members of the group.

'Michael Keane is maybe on the ball normally our best centre-back in our ball possession,' said Koeman. 'Maybe now he has doubts in his football. If you have doubts instead of going front in defending you make a step back. That's all about confidence. You step back if you are afraid.

'One of the problems in the team we have is that if we get a goal against us we lose a lot of aggression, lose a lot of defensive organisation.

'I can name more players, who are not performing and are struggling. That makes the team weak at this time. We need personalities who talk and criticise to make the team better and get a better understanding. We need them to show everybody that we will fight for a better period.'

The subject of young players prompted one of Koeman's most revealing answers in what was a forthright press conference; many Evertonians are wondering why Jonjoe Kenny, the England Under-21 international, cannot get a start at the moment ahead of Cuco Martina at right-back.

The Everton boss also named Tom Davies as someone he believes is beginning to struggle

Kenny was part of the England Under-20 World Cup winning squad in June and helped Everton win the Premier League Under-23 title last season but Martina, who arrived on a free transfer from Southampton, has the manager's backing in Seamus Coleman's prolonged absence.

'Okay he is one of the talents,' said Koeman. 'I know because I hear a lot of times the name of Kenny. I mention one time the U23s competition is not the Premier League. And the standard level of performing is a training session by the first team.

If things don't change Koeman hinted he may be forced to turn to youngster Jonjoe Kenny

'He is on my list. Of course! but I think it's not the moment to put Kenny in. But if I don't get enough on Sunday and next week then, maybe, yes there comes an opportunity for the boy. Because he is a talent. But you can't mention if someone is playing well for the Under 23s he is ready for the first team.

'It's too easy. That is for Kenny. Tom Davies was an exception. But Davies is always now a little bit more struggling. Last season he came in the team and he is playing out of nothing. Every weekend he is playing out of nothing. And now he is thinking. He has lost the spontaneity a little bit.

'That's what. If you see the team yesterday there was no "I like football" there was (shrugs). The difference is when you are winning you get confidence. But they started they go for it, we started like "Ohhh, ohhh ohhhh! Afraid!" That's' what we need to change.'

Koeman admitted Wayne Rooney needs to improve but he is not worried about his confidence

The trip to Old Trafford will be heavily focused on Wayne Rooney. The former England captain will start, according to his manager, but there is a recognition that his form has dipped; Rooney will appear before Stockport Magistrates on Monday to answer a drink-driving charge.

'I'm not worried about his confidence – I am worried about our aggression on the pitch,' said Koeman. 'I know the player is maybe not performing (against Atalanta) to what he needs to bring. But it is not about his confidence.

'Everyone knows of his qualities and what he did for Manchester United. But he is an Everton player and needs to react and bring what we expect from him. But I don't like to make individuals because it is always team. We need to do more. We need to be more aggressive.'