SILVA METTLE
Pressure eases on under-fire Everton boss
MARCO SILVA said he wasn’t under any extra pressure but his actions proved otherwise. Deep into injury time, as his side launched one final attack, it all came tumbling out.
A cutback from Ademola Lookman fell at the feet of substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin and, without breaking stride, the striker delivered an instinctive finish to secure Everton’s first win at Goodison Park since November.
You would not associate Silva with public displays of emotion but he stood on the touchline and repeatedly shook his fists, roaring with delight.
Soon Duncan Ferguson, the coach and club stalwart, joined him, clamping his hands on the Portuguese’s head and engulfing him in an embrace.
This has been a difficult period for Everton and the spotlight on Silva had been shining a little more brightly since Farhad Moshiri, the club’s major shareholder, spoke about the team’s position in the table ‘not being good enough’.
This deserved win in horrible conditions was a perfect riposte.
Yet when Silva reflects, he will be aware that it could have turned out differently. Bournemouth were impressive for long spells, moving the ball with style, but have now lost 11 of their last 14 games.
Eddie Howe, Bournemouth’s manager, lamented the performance of referee Anthony Taylor and felt his side were wrongly denied two penalties — one in each half — but there was recognition that this is the kind of run that demolishes self-belief.
‘When you don’t win, confidence becomes an issue,’ said Howe, who left out coveted striker Callum Wilson due to injury.
‘I thought you saw a really committed team, individually and collectively very good. You wouldn’t have known — if you were a neutral coming to the game — that we are on a bad run of form.’
Bournemouth’s start was superb and they could have been two goals up inside the opening 20 minutes. The best chance fell to David Brooks but his shot hit the inside of the post after Junior Stanislas had sent him clear.
Nerves were creeping over Everton’s players so much so that even Jordan Pickford — one of several England players being watched by Gareth Southgate — struggled to kick straight. There was the real prospect of Everton submerging but belatedly they found some kind of rhythm. The catalyst came from the elusive Lookman.
The 21-year-old was involved in everything positive that Everton did in the final 15 minutes of the first half and that improvement was crucial to changing the dynamic. Within three minutes of the restart, Richarlison thought he had scored but his shot from four yards clattered into Nathan Ake.
‘I told them that if they kept playing, they would win the game,’ said Silva. ‘We started to play fast and with more confidence. We have not achieved the results we have wanted but this was good.’
On the hour, Gylfi Sigurdsson’s corner eluded everyone bar Lucas Digne and he charged to the byline to cross for Kurt Zouma, who rose to deliver a thumping header.
With an advantage to preserve, it then became a question of character for Everton.
And there was controversy, too. Howe felt Andre Gomes should have been sent off and was puzzled why Taylor did not show a second yellow after three incidents. But Everton took advantage, and in the last throes, Lookman created the opportunity that Calvert-Lewin refused to miss.