Everton senior players are vital for Toffees' turnaround, insists interim boss David Unsworth ahead of 'cup final' Watford clash

  • Everton fell to their fifth-straight defeat at Lyon on Thursday night
  • David Unsworth left Wayne Rooney, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka out
  • The Toffees' interim boss has urged his senior players to step up to the plate
  • Unsworth said: 'you need your senior players who you can rely on and trust'

David Unsworth has urged his senior players to inspire Everton as they bid to turn their torrid Premier League fortunes around.

The Toffees have lost their last five games, three of them under caretaker manager Unsworth, and will hope to put an end to their abysmal record against Watford on Sunday. 

Unsworth left Wayne Rooney, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka out of Everton's 3-0 defeat by Lyon on Thursday, ending their Europa League qualification hopes but all three are set to be involved on Sunday, with Unsworth citing a senior player's importance.

David Unsworth has a tough job at hand as he looks to turn Everton's poor start around

David Unsworth has a tough job at hand as he looks to turn Everton's poor start around

'Senior players are always important and they're all top players with many appearances under their names,' Unsworth said.


'We've got a few young players in and around the squad as well so their importance to those young players is vital. Any time you go into big games, and Sunday's a big game, a cup final for me, you always need your senior players who you can rely on and trust.'

The Everton interim boss scratches his head on Thursday after slipping to fifth-straight defeat

The Everton interim boss scratches his head on Thursday after slipping to fifth-straight defeat

After a seventh-placed finish last season and a summer of big spending, expectations among the blue half of Merseyside were sky high, making their current difficulties all the harder to swallow with Everton stranded in the Premier League bottom three.

Unsworth, who has stepped up from the under 23 squad and is hoping to be given the job on a permanent basis, also believes Everton's problems are collective.

Wayne Rooney among other senior players were left out of the Europa League game

Wayne Rooney among other senior players were left out of the Europa League game

'It's very difficult. For most of the games I've been in charge we've competed, the effort's there,' he added. 'Occasionally we've made silly mistakes that have conceded goals so we need to tighten that up.

'We need to try to create a few more opportunities to give everybody the opportunity to try and hit the back of the net.

'It's a little bit of everything and you try to tweak that as best as you can and you try and pick the best team and individuals for the next game, because all that matters is winning the next game.'

With Unsworth calling upon his senior players to inspire an Everton recovery against Watford

With Unsworth calling upon his senior players to inspire an Everton recovery against Watford

Season at a glance

  • Premier League
  • Premier League
  • Championship
  • League One
  • League Two
  • Scottish Premiership
  • Scottish Div 1
  • Scottish Div 2
  • Scottish Div 3
  • Ligue 1
  • Serie A
  • La Liga
  • Bundesliga

Watford have been another surprise package this season but for much very different reasons.

Marco Silva has been linked with the Goodison Park job after guiding the Hornets to eighth place, racking up three wins from five away games.

With that in mind, Unsworth has called on the Everton fans, who grew increasingly vociferous in their opposition to previous manager Ronald Koeman, to ensure there is home advantage. 

'We stick together, and that includes the fans as well,' he insisted. 'The players have got to play on the front foot. They're well aware of what's needed at Goodison and, if they're not, I'll certainly be reminding them. 

Unsworth has described Sunday's clash at Goodison Park as a 'cup final' for him

Unsworth has described Sunday's clash at Goodison Park as a 'cup final' for him

'We need to try and play with freedom and positivity and that's my job to instil that in the players.

'Goodison is an amazing place to play football. I know it like the back of my hand. When our fans get behind us there's no better place.

'I know on Sunday that they'll be there for us. Not me, but for the team, because the team needs its fans at the moment and we all need to stick together in a difficult time.

'We need to win a couple of games quickly, because my experience playing in the Premier League tells me that you can go and win a couple of games and all of a sudden be in the top 10.'