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'We needed to put things right'

Everton's two goalscorers shared their satisfaction with their personal feats and a precious Toffees win when they were interviewed for the television cameras after the final whistle of this evening's 2-1 win over Arsenal.

Seamus Coleman grabbed the equaliser just before half time to cancel out Alexis Sanchez's fortunate opener and Ashley Williams popped up in the 86th minute to steer home a headed winner from Ross Barkley's corner.

“It's nice to get my first goal for Everton,” the Welshman said. “Obviously, I'm disappointed with their goal so it was nice to make up for that in the end.

“I should have done better on that and I was disappointed. I was just desperate to try and get one at the other end. Luckily enough I got on the end of one and we won.

“Obviously, it should give us a massive confidence boost. It was about looking at ourselves in the mirror, looking at ourselves as a group and trying to put it right.

“I think the performance today, the way everyone battled when we went one down shows what we can do and that we are together. You heard the fans — they responded and drove us on as well.”

Coleman was asked about the team's overall response to their poor recent form, one which was clearly in evidence on a stirring night under the lights at Goodison Park.

“We had a few words together and we needed to put things right,” the Irishman said. “We know we haven't been near good enough. We can do all the interviews in the world but the only place to put it right is out on that football pitch.

“It was important tonight that we went home happy with our performance whatever the result will be but we needed to make sure we worked hard for each other and put in a team performance. That's what Everton should be about.

”We just had to battle. A lot of teams would have given up after going a goal down and could sense the crowd getting a little bit on our backs.

“But we got the goal and we know that if we put in a performance and we can make the crowd happy, they are our 12th man so it's important that we get them behind us and it's so important that they stay with us."

Leighton Baines was the supplier of Coleman's goal with a great cross from the left flank and he echoed the sentiments of his team-mates, saying that the win and the reaction that enabled it was sorely needed.

“We had to roll our sleeves up at the end there and dig in,” Baines said. “Arsenal are on top form and they're a good side at any time of the season so it's a great win for us. We desperately needed it.

“Everyone put a good shift in and we're delighted.

“It's hard to say [what changed this evening]. It's football, isn't it? You don't win games and confidence slowly seeps out of you as a team but that will put a lot back into us.

“You know, we had a good talk amongst each other through the week and I think you see the reaction there.

“[This] gets us back up and running, gets the feel-good factor and sometimes the manner of it, the fighting spirit, is as pleasing as anything. If you win a game comfortably, that's great but I think you take a lot more from the manner in which we won the game tonight.”

 

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