Silva wants Richarlison to be the goal machine he really needs

EVERTON boss Marco Silva hopes Richarlison can become the prolific striker the Blues crave.

Silva’s side have scored just two in their last four and 21 in total in the Premier League this season – lower than all their top-six rivals ahead of tonight’s clash with Watford.

They have not had a highscoring forward since selling Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United in the summer of 2017.

Cenk Tosun has failed to net regularly since his arrival 12 months ago, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s chances have been limited.

That has led to suggestions that Silva will be forced to dip into the transfer market for a striker in January.

But, as Richarlison prepares to face his old Watford teammates for the first time since his £40million move in summer, Silva is confident the club’s top scorer can add many more to his seven goals this season.

“I think Richarlison is able to score more. He needs to score often to keep his confidence high,” said Silva about the 21-year-old Brazilian, who has netted three of Everton’s last five goals.

“Seven goals in 13 games is a good number.

“He can do better, I’ve no doubts about that, because he has the quality to do better.

“He’s working to improve as well. And I’m happy with him

“I don’t like to talk all the time about the type of striker people say we need. You can always improve your squad but we are happy with the players we have. Whatever we can do in the January market or the summer market is not the most important thing for us right now because we are happy with the squad we have.”

Richarlison, who has played as a striker and a winger so far for Everton, started last season brightly with Watford but his form nosedived in the second half of the season.

That coincided with a slump in the Hornets fortunes after the Mersey men Everton had tried to lure Silva away when Ronald Koeman left Goodison Park. Silva was eventually sacked in January by Watford, who were left fuming by Everton’s approach, and who blamed the Gerard Deulofeu to score first Blues for their decline. The Portuguese made Richarlison (above) one of his top targets when he finally became Everton boss in the summer following Sam Allardyce’s departure.

Now the pair prepare to face their old side for the first time, but Silva insists he is not thinking about why his time at Watford turned sour.

He added: “It’s not important for me to talk about this situation. The first day I joined Everton I said the past is not important to talk about.

“I have big respect for all the clubs I have worked at so far. Not just Watford but all the others too.

“It’s one more match, a tough match.

“It will be good to see their players, very good professionals who I have worked with, some friends as well, but it is just one more match.”