Silva Highlights Change Which Inspired Watford Victory

Marco Silva is promising Everton will “do our maximum” to reach the Club’s first cup final in a decade after overcoming obdurate Watford at Goodison Park in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie.

Mason Holgate’s first goal for Everton broke Watford’s resistance with 18 minutes remaining and the Blues’ quarter-final berth was secured when Richarlison struck against his former club in stoppage-time.

Everton had twice thumped the woodwork prior to defender Holgate heading home, while Andre Gomes was denied by a goalline clearance and Heurelho Gomes saved from Michael Keane’s close-range header.

The opening half had been a more pedestrian affair, the visitors banked behind the ball for long periods and frustrating Silva’s team.

Everton lost centre-back Yerry Mina to a knee problem shortly before the break and manager Silva replaced Moise Kean with Theo Walcott for the second 45 minutes.

“We achieved our goal, which was to win and reach the next round,” said Silva.

“We want to stay in this competition and we will do our maximum to go to the end.

“We were the better team and deserved the win, we created chances to score even if it was tough to get the ball in the net again.

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06:34 Tue 29 Oct 2019

DELIGHTED SILVA SAYS 'BEST TEAM WON'

Boss reacts to Everton's Carabao Cup fourth round success against Watford.


“But the players showed the patience we need in this type of game, against a team with a solid block, five at the back, and three midfielders.

“In some moments of the first half we played too slow and too safe and didn’t create too much.

“The second half was different. We scored twice and had more chances and performed well.

“We played quicker and were more assertive and deserved the win.”

Everton’s victory sent them into only a second League Cup quarter-final in 12 years.

They won their last-eight tie at Middlesbrough three years ago but were narrowly beaten by Manchester City in a two-legged semi-final.

Silva is aiming to guide his side one step further to the final at Wembley on 1 March - and what would be a first national stadium showpiece for the Toffees since they reached the 2009 FA Cup final.

Everton grew into the ascendancy against Watford immediately after the restart, Walcott injecting more urgency into the hosts’ football and adding another fine individual display to his terrific performance against West Ham United last time out at Goodison.

Iwobi and Lucas Digne had both seen efforts slam the bar – and Watford defender Adrian Mariappa had brilliantly cleared Gomes’s goalbound shot from the line – when Walcott gathered possession on the left and stood up a cross for Holgate to head into the Gwladys Street net.

Substitute Cenk Tosun’s pass ushered in Richarlison to progress forward and defeat Heurelho Gomes with a rising strike in the game's final play.

“Theo had a big impact again, the change we made [Walcott for Kean] had a big impact on our second half,” added Silva.

“Theo was always a really important player for me, he knows that.


“He is in a good moment and will help us in the next games as well.

“The way we built our attacks [after half-time] was faster and the gaps were clearer. We found the spaces more easily.

“Alex Iwobi was different in the second half, he found the spaces and created more between the lines and was more decisive.

“Richarlison did not do enough in the first half but the second half was completely different.

“You can never lose your patience… or your balance.

“If you want to attack and find the opportunities to score, never give the opponent the moments they want to counter-attack.

“They want one moment [to take advantage of a mistake] and we knew what to expect from them.

“I thought it was fair when we scored because of everything we did in the second half.”

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01:59 Wed 30 Oct 2019

HIGHLIGHTS: EVERTON 2-0 WATFORD

How Blues booked their place in the last eight.