Striker Neal Maupay has slammed Everton fans who abused the players at Euston station following their 4-0 defeat to Tottenham on Saturday.

The defeat – thanks to goals from Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero and a brace from Son Heung-min – followed a humiliating 3-0 loss to Brighton at Goodison Park on the opening weekend of the Premier League season and left Everton bottom of the table on goal difference.

Everton has been fighting desperately to avoid relegation for three seasons and this season threatens to be a bitter battle as well.

Anger from a section of travelling fans boiled over at Euston on Saturday night as the Everton team made their way to the train heading north. Several players were singled out for vulgar abuse and fans chanted: “Fuck off, you bloody rat. 80 grand a week? You bloody wanker.”

Most players walked to the pitch with their heads down, although goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and defender Mason Holgate tried to appease the fans.

Maupay, who has regularly been the target of criticism for his poor form at Everton and spent last season on loan at Brentford, hit out on Sunday night, telling X: “Imagine any other job where it’s normal to be abused in this way. Hanging around a train station shouting at men who are doing their best…”

Manager Sean Dyche has faced increasing criticism over his line-up and tactics, despite blaming injuries and a weak squad for his side’s sluggish start to the season. However, last week he angered many fans when he said ahead of the Tottenham game: “We’ve talked about it many times… hero, zero, zero, hero. It’s quite an extreme situation. It’s either ‘yeah, we’re great, we’ve won’ or ‘screw you, you’re all screwed again’. That kind of psychology en masse.”

Dyche’s cause is not helped by Everton’s precarious financial situation – last season the club had to deduct points twice for breaching profitability and sustainability rules – and also by the uncertainty over whether current owner Farhad Moshiri can sell the club.

The manager may have to sell either defender Jarrad Branthwaite or Dominic Calvert-Lewin before Friday’s transfer deadline and Saturday’s home game against Bournemouth already looks like a game he cannot afford to lose.