IT’S MARCO GOALO
Silva: We’ll go all out to score at Etihad
MARCO SILVA admits Everton will leave the Etihad Stadium with nothing if they don’t take the game to Manchester City today.
The Toffees boss has refused to consider a defensive approach and has promised to go for goals against Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions.
City’s unbeaten run was halted by Chelsea last week but they have won every home game this season.
Silva says his side will go for broke against City just like they did against Liverpool in their recent Merseyside derby defeat.
He said: “I don’t like to concede goals but when you play against City they will have a chance to score.
Risks
“So when you play against City if you don’t score at least one goal you have a low chance to achieve a good result.
“When we have the ball we have to try to play our game and create the chance to score and create a good result for us.
“We know City take some risks in their game as well, they play offensive football and in some moments they will obligate us to do what we don’t like.
“That is to run back to the ball, so when we have the ball we have to try our game and try to create chances to score and play with ambition.”
Everton are unbeaten in their last three visits to the Etihad, drawing all three.
Silva (right) said: “We will play against the best Premier League team, they have high quality and can play fantastic football at times. But they have some weakness as well – which we will try to take advantage of.
“Our ambition doesn’t change and we will have a similar mentality to that we showed at Anfield. “Each game you have to put the same ambition on the pitch, even if you know in some moments they will control the game. “They have the capacity – not just against us but against all clubs – to have more than 60 or 70 per cent of ball possession. But when we have the ball we have to try and play our style and have the ambition to score.”
Tom Davies may make his first start since October as fellow midfielder Idrissa Gueye is struggling to be fit.
However, Silva will not entertain any loan bids for Davies next month despite his lack of regular football this season.
Silva added: “It is not in my mind to let him go. Let’s see what happens but it is not on my mind to even think about it.”
The Everton boss also wants to keep senior defender Phil Jagielka, who is out of contract in the summer and has started just one game this season.