FRANK LAMPARD allegedly got involved in a huge dressing room bust-up with his own Everton players shortly before his sacking.
Midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure was even forced to train on his own as a result, according to reports.
Lampard, 44, had been feeling the heat in recent weeks and pressure had been mounting on his job, with the board holding an emergency meeting on Sunday.
The ex-Chelsea midfielder was then dismissed from his post on Monday after less than a year in charge.
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He saw his side slump to a 2-0 defeat at fellow strugglers West Ham on Saturday in his final game.
That result leaves Everton 19th in the Premier League table, off the bottom on goal difference.
Doucoure was not involved in the trip to the London Stadium.
As reported by The Times, he is currently going through his drills and fitness work away from the rest of the first-team squad.
It is said the £22million former Watford man, 30, was part of the major row with the now ex-manager in the home changing room at Goodison Park after the 2-1 defeat to Southampton.
Doucoure, who has been linked with Fulham as his contract expires in the summer, was an unused sub in the Saints loss and has played just 341 minutes of football across all competitions this season.
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Other players were also included in the heated altercation on January 14.
Everton have won just one of their last 12 Premier League games - a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on October 22.
Since the beginning of November, the Toffees' only point came when they managed a 1-1 draw away at Manchester City.
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The mood around Goodison is toxic with blatant struggles on the pitch and fans venting their anger at the board.
Owner Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright were in attendance at West Ham - Moshiri's first live game since October 2021.
But both men bizarrely tried to avoid responsibility for the future of the club - with Moshiri somehow claiming it was "not his decision" whether or not to sack Lampard.
At the time, the sacked gaffer, though, said: “I absolutely don’t fear being sacked — I’m proud to do the job.
"I just get up every day and think how we can get better.”
Sean Dyche, Nuno Espirito Santo and Everton legend Wayne Rooney are among the candidates tipped to replace Lamps.
