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Gray: Full Focus On Rectifying Mistakes

Demarai Gray says Everton's visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers next week is an opportunity to rectify mistakes and “move forward”.

Everton are eighth in the Premier League standings but surrendered a second-half lead against Watford on Saturday to miss an opportunity to climb into the top five.

Rafa Benitez’s team could conceivably make a significant advance up the table with success at Wolves, who have emerged from a slow start to collect 10 points from their past four matches.

Everton can look at their away form for encouragement after one win and two draws from four games.

But Gray, the forward signed from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, mirrored the view of manager Benitez, who insisted his side must erase avoidable lapses for a positive outcome on Monday.

“The manager made it clear that it was not good enough against Watford,” said Gray.

“We have to concentrate and do things properly – we didn’t and we were punished.


“We went into the game with the right mentality, knowing we lost in the previous game

“It was a good opportunity to make it right but we didn’t do that.

“As individuals, we have to look at ourselves and make sure we are playing our part for the team – and collectively grind out results.

“We didn’t do that on Saturday, which was disappointing for us and the fans.

“But we can’t stay negative for too long. We will get back into training and focus on making it right.”

Forward Gray created the opening goal for Tom Davies against Watford, as Everton sought a winning response to a first home defeat of the campaign against West Ham United six days earlier.

The bright start dimmed when Watford secured parity on 13 minutes but Richarlison scored shortly after coming off the bench to raise the possibility of a fourth home win from five matches for Benitez’s team.

That prospect was extinguished, however, as Watford gained momentum from a second equaliser with 12 minutes remaining to add another three goals in the final stages.

Demarai Gray
As individuals, we have to look at ourselves and make sure we are playing our part for the team – and collectively grind out results.


Gray intermittently threatened to add to his explosive start to the match. He provided three key passes and recorded his team’s highest passing accuracy figure of 88.9 percent.

The 25-year-old was hampered by an illness that forced his withdrawal 60 seconds before Watford drew level for a second time and an Everton side already stripped of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucoure lost its way towards the end.

But, reflecting Benitez’s take on events, once more, Gray insists the onus is on those fit and available – Richarlison is back among that number following a six-week injury absence – to provide a stirring reaction at Wolves’ Molineux home.

“It was good to have Richy back, he did what he does and scored the goal to get us the lead,” added Gray.

“Watford made it difficult for us but as a group we have to take accountability for what happened.

“To be 2-1 up and lose the way we did was not acceptable.

“All we can do is regroup and make it right in the next game.

“It hurts but we have to move forward.”