Everton boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that he is "surprised" by rumours linking him with the Goodison Park exit.

The Blues are on a lacklustre run of form - particularly away from home, having won just once on the road all season - and reports suggest that the club's hierarchy is already considering another change of management.

"At the moment we're in a very good position and I'm slightly surprised by the speculation. We're not good enough away from home but we're good enough at home," Allardyce said during his press conference ahead of this weekend's trip to Burnley.

"On where we started down in the bottom end with everyone talking about relegation to where we are now, Burnley's magnificent season means that if we beat them we're level on points with them on Saturday.

"All the other speculation will go on, it happens.

"The away form is a long-standing problem, it's not something that has arrived with my tenure. It's not something that we or I particularly want, but it is a long-standing problem. It's been there for a while and my job is to sort the away results out."

Allardyce has only been in charge at Everton for a matter of months, replacing the sacked Ronald Koeman in November last year.