Everton fell to a third successive defeat on Saturday as Manchester United left Goodison Park with a 3-1 victory.
Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti was frank and expressive in voicing his disappointment in his team, calling upon the players to show a better fighting spirit after the international break – a period he insists ‘has to be better’ if the Merseysiders want to return to winning ways.
Despite a well-worked goal by Bernard giving the Toffees an early lead, their hopes of nipping a losing run in the bud were cut short by two goals from Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes, before Edinson Cavani ensured the Red Devils would claim all three points through his cool finish after a counter-attack in stoppage time.
Afterwards, Ancelotti wasted no time in demanding more from his team, saying:
“The spirit in the second half was really good but at the same time there is disappointment as we didn’t play with that spirit in the first half.
“We can have quality and whatever we want but if you don’t put spirit like we did in the second half…
“We are disappointed for the first half. Of course we have to improve. This period has been really bad, really unfortunate but it is gone.
“But next period I hope it will be better, it has to be better.”
The Toffees return from the international break with a Premier League clash away to struggling Fulham on 21 November, seemingly an ideal opportunity to arrest the losing streak.
Read Everton Verdict
It is as unsurprising as it is necessary that Ancelotti ramps up the pressure on his team.
The players are undoubtedly their own biggest critics and will feel aggrieved by their own performance, but fans and players alike will know that Fulham is a must-win game if the Toffees are to regain the inspiration which led them to go unbeaten in their first eight games in all competitions this season.
