Cape Town - David Unsworth admits Everton’s “must win” clash against Watford this weekend is a big one for both him and the club.
Everton crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday after suffering a 3-0 defeat at Lyon, with the Toffees now unable to qualify for the last 32 of the competition.
Caretaker boss Unsworth had rested several key first-terms for the game after having half an eye on Sunday’s visit of Watford.
Unsworth wants to be Everton manager on a permanent basis, yet with the club lying in the Premier League relegation zone, he is under no illusions about the magnitude of the clash for both him and the team.
“Sunday is a huge game for me, huge game for the club and I’ve left the players in no uncertain terms that it’s a huge game for them,” he said.
“It’s not about me. It’s about the football club. It’s about getting over this disappointing result.
“We can’t defend the way we did and expect to win a game. We now have a massive game. A must win game.
“We can’t cave in the way we do when we concede a goal. We need to rectify that very, very quickly.”
Meanwhile, defender Cuco Martina was forced to spend the night in hospital after landing awkwardly in an ugly fall, which saw him stretchered off.
Unsworth added: “Cuco was concussed & complaining of pains down his neck. He’s gone straight to hospital for X-rays & scans. We wish him all the best.”