Abdoulaye Doucoure is convinced Everton boast the character and quality to deliver an immediate response after falling to a first defeat of the season at Aston Villa on Saturday.
The contest was in the balance up until Matty Cash’s 66th-minute opener, with in-form Toffees forward Demarai Gray seeing an effort whistle fractions wide moments before the home side’s breakthrough.
Villa then added two further goals in the space of nine minutes to take the game away from Everton, who were without influential quartet Jordan Pickford, Seamus Coleman, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison through injury.
Doucoure admitted the Blues missed being able to call on players of such quality – but outlined the squad’s collective belief they can quickly get back on the winning trail.
Everton take on Queens Park Rangers in a third-round Carabao Cup tie at Loftus Road on Tuesday before returning to Premier League action when Norwich City visit Goodison Park next Saturday.
“The result is a big disappointment for us because we were in a good moment,” Doucoure said.
“The team was doing well. We missed some key players, so it was hard for us. It is a small setback and next week we want to come back and win at home.
“I think we played quite well for 60 minutes.
“We had a great chance just before they scored, and I think the game could have been different but we know in the Premier League every game is tough. They scored one goal and kept the momentum, and it was hard for us to come back.
“We need to work hard and change this defeat into a win in the next game.”
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Everton reacted to falling a goal behind against Burnley at Goodison on Monday by scoring three goals in an electric six-minute spell to send Goodison into raptures and secure maximum points.
On Saturday, it was Villa who fed off the energy of a roaring crowd to press home their advantage after taking the lead midway through the second half.
One minute after Villa opened the scoring, Lucas Digne was unfortunate to deflect Leon Bailey’s wicked corner delivery into his own goal. Substitute Bailey then hammered a powerful shot past Asmir Begovic to seal victory for Dean Smith’s team.
“I don’t think we controlled the game well after the second goal,” Docuoure added.
“After the game, the manager said we need to keep working. Today was disappointing, conceding the goals was bad for us, but in the next game we have to bounce back and work even harder to get a good result.”
