Duncan Ferguson wants to begin his Everton caretaker reign by overseeing a display bursting with energy, intent and aggression – and which reflects a united hunger at Goodison Park to “push the Club in the right direction”.

Everton confirmed on Tuesday that former striker Ferguson would manage the team’s upcoming games, beginning with Saturday’s Premier League visit from Aston Villa.

Majority Shareholder Farhad Moshiri and Chairman Bill Kenwright, disclosed Ferguson, have been “very supportive” and are keen for the return of a bristling Everton side characterised by “fight and spirit”.

Ferguson, who made 273 appearances and scored 72 goals across two playing spells with the Club, lit a fuse under Everton’s campaign in his previous spell in temporary charge in December 2019.

A 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the Scot's first game is written into Everton folklore, in large part because it was contested against a backdrop of unrelenting noise inside Goodison.

Ferguson is urging Evertonians to recreate that rollicking atmosphere for a meeting with Villa that boasts the potential to redirect the course of the season.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW BELOW OR HERE

“We need everybody in our corner and to make sure we are all together; everybody at Finch Farm, everybody at the stadium and everybody in the city,” Ferguson told evertontv.

“I feel very honoured the Club turned to me again.

“I have spoken to the owner and Chairman and they have been very supportive. And we are all willing for us to get a result on Saturday.

“The Chairman talked about unity and the Everton way and getting our fight and spirit back.

“He is very passionate, a great Everton man.

“We should always be doing our best for Everton, shouldn’t we?

“We are Evertonians, we love our club and fight as hard as we can for it.

“It is a difficult time, results have been really poor, to be honest.

“It was an electric atmosphere [against Chelsea], one of the best I’ve experienced at Goodison, and I am sure they [supporters] will be well, well up for it this weekend.

“We really need them to push us across the line for the whole game.

“I can’t emphasise enough how important they are for the 90 minutes and I know they will be with us.

“That support lifts you and gives you confidence.

“We are all going to make mistakes, that happens in football.

“The players have to keep going for 90 minutes because it will be an incredibly tough game and everybody in that stadium needs to keep going to the final whistle, then, hopefully, we will get the right result.”

Ferguson, who is being assisted by former Everton players Leighton Baines and John Ebbrell and Goalkeeping Coach Alan Kelly, was talking 72 hours before kick-off against Villa.

Preparation time is at a premium, then, and Ferguson – who has, so far, overseen two training sessions – is channelling his focus into swelling confidence and injecting speed and combativity into Everton's football.

“The players have always worked hard – but I am pushing them as hard as I possibly can, then they will feel great coming off the training pitch, as we all do when we put in a good day’s work,” said Ferguson, who was buoyed by the sight of 24 outfield players training on Wednesday, with midfielder Allan the “biggest doubt” for Villa following illness.

“They are upbeat sessions, with hard work and clear and simple messages.

“I am getting among the players and telling a few home truths because the past has not been good enough.

“But it is in the past. We move forwards, the game is coming and let’s get ready for it.

“They [Everton players] should give everything.

“They should run themselves into the ground.

“They should roll up their sleeves and fight for the Club in every single game.

“Imagine if you asked a fan to put a shirt on and get on the pitch, what would they do?

“We need to be doing that.

“I have to improve the tempo and aggression of the team, keep chipping away at the players about how important it is to get the victories.

“The result, of course, is massively important, but we need an improvement [in performance].

“I have confidence in the players and the team and think they can win every game and that will be no different on Saturday.

“We have a lot of great players in there and they will step up, I am sure.”

Ferguson originally joined Everton from Rangers in October 1994, starting what he calls a “long love affair” with the Club.

“The relationship with the fans is key for me, they know how much I love them,” explained Ferguson, whose affection for supporters is emphatically reciprocated.

Former left-back Baines, who played 420 games in 11 years at Everton before retiring in summer 2020, is similarly revered on the Gwladys Street.

And, in Ferguson’s view, Baines was the ideal figure to complement the “calmness and incredible knowledge" of Ebbrell and Kelly on a new-look temporary backroom team.

“Leighton is a great fella, an unbelievable player and a legend of the Club,” said Ferguson.

“He is just starting his coaching journey but I have noticed in the past two days how far he has come.

“He really is a good coach and getting better and better.

“He will go onto great things in the future and I am absolutely delighted he is going to be sitting next to me.”

Ferguson insists he is “learning every day” and has gained knowledge about “a lot of different styles”.

But, he continued, “I am my own man and do it my own way.”

On the likely timeframe for his tenure following Everton’s statement announcing his appointment for “the Club’s upcoming games”, Ferguson added: “That is absolutely right.

“That is my brief.

“I’ll only be in charge for the upcoming games.

“The Club are in a process of going through their candidates.

“They will go through that process and I am sure they will get the best man for the job.”