David Unsworth delighted as Everton show ‘heart, desire and commitment’ to fight back against Watford

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“I need a lie down,” David Unsworth acknowledged, as he embraced with old friends inside Goodison Park’s press room where there is now a space on the wall where a photograph of Ronald Koeman used to hang.

Somehow, Everton – under his management – had heaved themselves out of the relegation zone despite being 2-0 down to Watford with 25 minutes to go. Everton’s victory represents their first from such a margin at home since 1994 when they beat Wimbledon on the last day of the season to stay up.

Remarkably, Leighton Baines’s injury time winner was not the final penalty of the game. Jordan Pickford’s foul on Richarlison just as he was about to score meant Tom Cleverley had the opportunity to equalise. Cleverley, though, shot wide. The relief inside Goodison Park was enormous.

“I didn’t expect the second half to pan out like it did,” Unsworth admitted. He would later describe his team’s performance as “a typical Everton one: full of heart, desire and commitment.”

He was also right to speak about fortune. An injury to goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes meant the introduction of debutant Orestis Karnezis and from there, Watford were not as convincing as they had been. They also had to deal with another enforced substitution, this one to goalscorer Christian Kabasele.

“We did everything well until it became 2-1,” assessed Marco Silva, the Watford manager. “It was under control. A disappointing day.”

Baines’s conversion means he has now scored 24 times from the spot for Everton, passing the record of Trevor Steven and Unsworth himself. Unsworth believes it can be the start of a “good run.” Whether that will involve his guidance is yet to be determined.

“I’m sure the owner and the board will make the right decision,” he said on the issue of Everton’s next manager. “We all want what’s best for this club. We want the club to be successful and however we get that is fine by me.

“I said to the players, this must kick-start them; playing on the front foot – really just going forward,” he added. “I hope this instils the confidence in the players. Confidence is key. It’s a word bandied about in football but when you have it, you feel unstoppable.”