Re-energised Everton plot a path to Europe

SO what is it to be for Everton? It was the first question that emerged after the final whistle. Everything felt right in Goodison Park once again. There was life in the Gwladys Street End, where the majority of 2,000 boisterous fans were seated, there was noise in the old venue but, most importantly, there was a performance of which they could be proud. Frank Lampard might have grumbled afterwards. Chelsea might have had more of the ball. But anything other than a home win would have been unjust. This was one of those occasions that left you feeling this team of Carlo Ancelotti’s is stirring. They chased and they ran, they tackled and took their opportunity — via the cool head of Gylfi Sigurdsson — when it arrived from the penalty spot. Everton looked every inch a team with Europe in their sights, but then you remembered some of what has gone before in the last two months, when they failed to win six of their previous seven fixtures. ‘It has been a weird season,’ said Mason Holgate, one of many in blue who excelled. ‘We have won in blocks then lost in blocks, whereas others have been winning one and then losing one. ‘We know where we stand and we believe we can stay in and around the top four.’ Holgate does not lack for confidence but it was refreshing to hear him be so forthright. Everton have invested fortunes during Farhad Moshiri’s reign as the major shareholder, so why not dare to dream? ‘We know we deserve to be up there,’ added Holgate. ‘We know what quality we have as a squad. When we turn up, we have got a team that can cause anyone problems and I think we can beat anyone when we play to our best.’ Lampard’s team were second best in almost every position, with only Reece James close to the standards expected. ‘In the Premier League, you’re going to lose games, so it is very important we put perspective on it,’ said Lampard. ‘The edge was in the game and we weren’t quite on the edge. We didn’t find enough answers.’