Unsworth critical of team after Everton's fourth Europa League loss

Everton caretaker manager David Unsworth didn't hold back when providing his assessment of his side's abysmal performance during Thursday's 5-1 loss to Atalanta in the Europa League.

With Everton's elimination from the competition already confirmed heading into the encounter, the Toffees went on to suffer the biggest defeat at the hands of an Italian opponent in European competition, in front of a sparse crowd at Goodison Park.

Afterwards, Unsworth was highly critical of the players he'd given a chance to play who have not featured regularly for Everton this term.

"The players who have been asking me for opportunities to play in the first team were given that tonight," he said, according to the Press Association.

"I asked the players to make it difficult for me to leave them out of the team on Sunday and the majority have probably made it very easy for me.

"I know there wasn't anything riding on the game, but we had paying Evertonians tonight and I stressed we had to compete - the manner we capitulated just isn't acceptable and the players know that.

"What you can't do at this level is carry players. When you're best player is an 18-year-old kid (Beni Baningime) who's only had a couple of first-team appearances, that tells you all you need to know."

The loss was Everton's fourth of the group stage, as the Merseyside team has only managed to collect one point through five matches. Everton will look to wrap up its Europa League campaign on a high note during a visit to Cyprus to face Apollon Limassol on Dec. 7.