FRANKLY... YOU BLUE IT

Toffees waste chance to pull away from danger

JOHN CROSS

FRANK LAMPARD cut a frustrated figure on the touchline despite Everton edging closer to safety.

The Toffees secured a point but this was a golden opportunity to take all three and as good as guarantee they will still be playing in the Premier League next season.

Boss Lampard threw his arms in the air in anger as chance after chance went begging against a Watford side who are already relegated and whose fans spent most of the second half poking fun at their own players.

In truth, Everton might not need another win with fellow strugglers Leeds being in selfdestruct mode but a point was a small step away from danger when they could have taken a big leap.

The travelling fans at Vicarage Road were loud and proud and deserved a better game than this low-quality affair which perhaps showed why both teams are in so much trouble.

Everton dominated but lacked a cutting edge, Watford at least put up a fight for a change but when the final whistle blew there were ironic cheers from home fans over their team ending a run of 11 successive defeats on their own patch.

The Blues are fighting for their lives, Watford have already raised the white flag and the likes of Ismaila Sarr, Emmanuel Dennis and Tom Cleverley were out injured.

There has never been a better time to play the Hornets. Veteran boss Roy Hodgson (above) is on his way at the end of the campaign and will be replaced by Forest

Green

Rovers manager Rob Edwards, who is not 40 until December. There is a feeling it must be a reset for the club.

Everton, who had climbed out of the relegation zone with their first back-to-back wins since September, started with plenty of energy and Anthony Gordon and Richarlison were a big threat up front.

But there was a lack of quality with their final pass and some wayward finishing while, for the first time in a long time, Watford were competing.

They have managed just two home wins in what has been an embarrassing season for a club. When they have gone down in the past, they always put up a fight. They have not shown much this time.

It took until the 52nd minute for Watford to create a chance when Ken Sema put over a free-kick and Moussa Sissoko rose highest but failed to get a good connection and the ball drifted wide.

Maybe that woke up Everton because they forced Ben Foster into a save a minute later when Richarlison’s shot was deflected and the keeper was at full stretch to push it away.

Everton finally built up a head of steam, with Demarai Gray just off target with a shot and Michael Keane heading another big chance straight at Foster.

Everton should have grabbed a late winner when Richarlison drove in a low cross but Anthony Gordon just could not find a finishing touch. That summed it

up.

BY Chief Football Writer @johncrossmirror