Victory can lift Gray skies at Goodison Park
Kop star won’t be taking it easy ahead of World Cup
DEMARAI GRAY reckons Everton’s first win of the season will add to their new-found psychological steel.
The Toffees got their first victory against West Ham on Sunday after four successive draws had built confidence on the blue half of Merseyside.
If they went into the international break without getting a win, then Frank Lampard’s side may have been getting nervy when the domestic campaign resumes on October 1.
But forward Gray reckons the victory came at the right time.
“The spirit is really good even though we hadn’t won a game in the Prem,” he said.
“There’s a different feeling around the players, there is confidence and there is energy in the camp and I think you have seen that in our performances: we are stronger and look more solid and more of a threat.
Massive
“Mentally it is massive for the team.”
Everton struggled last season under Rafa Benitez who lost his job in January and then they faced a relegation battle under Lampard.
Every bad result saw the clouds darken around Goodison until they secured safety in their penultimate game.
But this season the mood has changed around the club after some positive performances in the early part of the campaign.
They’ve also brought in characters like
Conor Coady and James Tarkowski as well as talented players such as Idrissa Gana Gueye and Amadou Onana.
Sunday’s match winner Neal Maupay (and winger Dwight McNeil have also freshened things up, while James Garner has yet to make his debut since arriving from
Manchester United.
“Having a fresh start off the back of last season we realise this is a big opportunity for us,” said Gray. “We have signed some players who have been massive for the team and have made us a lot stronger.
“There’s a lot more natural confidence within the team and the standard in training has gone up as well and that is where everything starts. I think we are on the right path.
Downs
“It’s a long season and we are going to have ups and downs but you have that sense that although things might not be going too well we still have the attitude and mentality in the side that we will be strong and together.
“You can see in some of the results this season. We should have won some and we have had to grind out some games and get draws. It’s massive for the team and mentality is a key part of the squad.
“We would concede a goal last season and our heads would drop.
“The fans might have been affected by it as well and collectively we were in that kind of rut which was difficult to get out of.
“We showed our character right at the end of the season by staying up and surviving but I think this season there is a completely different feel in the squad and everyone can see we are a different squad.”
VIRGIL VAN DIJK has assured Liverpool he won’t be protecting himself in the lead up to the World Cup.
The Holland defender missed out on Euro 2020 as he recovered from an ACL knee injury suffered early on in the 2020-21 campaign when he was clattered by keeper Jordan Pickford in the Merseyside derby.
The 31-year-old refused to rush himself back to play in the rescheduled European Championship for his country as he wanted to be ready for the next season with the Reds.
Now he is set to lead out the Dutch at the winter World Cup in Qatar but his mind will be focussed on the Reds in the build-up and he won’t be worried about an injury wrecking the big tournament.
He said: “I can only speak for myself and I wouldn’t worry about me.
Ready
“I want to go but to be ready, in my opinion, is not to focus on hopefully not getting injured, it is just keep playing, get fit, stay fit and get in a good moment.
“I am very excited to lead the boys out there and do as good as we can but we are not in the situation because of that.
“I would understand because of the start we had everyone is looking for ‘Why?’ because the difference is too big but I can assure you that is definitely not one of the reasons.
“You focus on the game at the time and that’s definitely what we’re doing.”
Liverpool went into the international break after getting back to winning ways by beating Ajax in the Champions League.
But they have won just two Premier League games so far which has led to a lot of head scratching on Merseyside about why last season’s Quadruple chasers have not hit the ground running.
Worried
Van Dijk’s focus this week will be on Holland’s Nations League ties with Poland and Belgium.
But he insists being worried about any injuries ahead of a big tournament has not been a distraction.
He added: “If you think about this you are going to have issues in my opinion. It is just game-bygame and that includes international football.
“I am certain players have internationals, and other players will train and play friendlies in order to stay fit and get fit, and we will get players back after the internationals.
“For me it is two games against Poland and Belgium and then it is Brighton, so that will be the focus. I’m not focusing on what is happening in November.”