Everton must build on Man City thrashing – Mirallas

Joe Williams

Kevin Mirallas: Wants to see Everton grow after the result against City

Kevin Mirallas has emphasised Everton must try to carry forward the form they showed in Sunday’s 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City.

On what the Toffees winger has described as “a great day for every Evertonian”, Mirallas teed up Romelu Lukaku’s first-half opener against City at Goodison Park, then scored himself just after the break.

Eighteen-year-old Tom Davies, who impressed hugely on what was only his fourth senior start, and 19-year-old substitute Ademola Lookman, making his debut after signing from Charlton, subsequently notched their first Everton goals late on.

The Premier League victory made for a stunning return to winning ways for the Merseyside outfit after their home FA Cup loss to Leicester the previous weekend.

And Mirallas said: “The most important thing is we continue like that.

“We have to go to Crystal Palace on Saturday. That is a difficult game, but if we play the same we win.”

Reflecting on his 47th-minute strike and Sunday’s action in general, the 29-year-old Belgium international said: “It was a good moment to score, directly at the start of the second half.

“After that we had more confidence and played well on the ball.

“City had chances to score but the defence played very well, and when we had possibilities to score we scored.

“I’m very happy for Tom Davies – he has been very professional – and for Lookman as well. It was a great day for every Evertonian.

“When you have new players it refreshes the team.

“Tom Davies, I know him because he has been training with the team, but Lookman is new.

“He is very young but he is a very talented player. He had one occasion and he scored.”

Everton boss Ronald Koeman – who brought two new signings off the bench against City in Lookman and Morgan Schneiderlin, the France international recruited from Manchester United last week – has also stressed the desire in the camp to keep things up after Sunday’s effort.

“That is what each Evertonian likes – how the team played (on Sunday),” the Dutchman said.

“We like to do everything to keep that momentum.

“We like to continue with that attitude.

“I think we started to play with it against Arsenal at home (a 2-1 Premier League win on December 13) and after that we have showed it more, although it was not always the final result we like.

“But I think the team is changing and the personnel is changing, in a good way.

“We need balance in the team, and I think with the young boys now, with the new signings, with the new signing of Schneiderlin, we get a better balance in the team and finally a stronger team.”

Everton are seventh in the table, seven points behind sixth-placed Manchester United.