James Garner believes Everton have a “real chance” to make something of their Carabao Cup run after reaching the quarter-finals with victory over Newcastle United.
The midfielder opened the scoring in Thursday night’s 3-1 win at the Hill Dickinson, with Hayden Hackney and Thierno Barry also on target as David Moyes’ side booked a trip to League Two Fleetwood Town.
Garner eyes Everton silverware
Speaking to Everton’s official website, Garner admitted the quarter-final draw has given the players genuine belief that they can go further.
“I think if we had heard at the start of the competition that we’d be in the quarter-finals and facing Fleetwood, we would have taken it,” he said. “So, it’s a real chance for us actually to do something with this cup.”
Garner added that winning silverware would be “amazing” for the players, the club and Everton supporters.
The comments come at a time when Everton have another opportunity to address one of the longest waits in English football. As Read Everton highlighted earlier on Saturday, they are the only club among the current 92 Premier League and EFL sides not to have won a senior trophy or earned promotion this century.
Their last major honour was the FA Cup in 1995, while Everton have never won the League Cup despite reaching the final in 1977 and 1984.
Garner has played his part in keeping this season’s opportunity alive. His composed finish put Everton ahead against Newcastle and brought his first goal of the campaign, something the 25-year-old admits he wants to add more regularly to his game.
He is also still building towards full fitness following the groin problem which disrupted the start of his season, acknowledging that he came back “probably a bit too early” because he wanted to help the team.
Fleetwood have already shown why they cannot be taken lightly after knocking Arsenal out on penalties. Everton will nevertheless head to Highbury knowing victory would put them into a major cup semi-final and leave them two rounds from ending that long wait for silverware.
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