Walcott: The sense of urgency was what we needed

This is the Everton we’ve been waiting to see all season long, and Marco Silva had to make five changes to his side from last time out to get it, including a surprise start for Theo Walcott.

Fans might have rolled their eyes when they saw the 30-year-old’s name on the teamsheet, but he turned in an inspired performance today and was a pick for Man-of-the-Match for many thanks to his tireless running and quick passes which could have easily seen the Blues score more than the pair of goals they managed against West Ham United today.

Speaking after the game, the veteran forward commended the crowd that gave him a rousing ovation when he left with a handful of minutes left, getting on their feet and chanting ‘Theo! Theo!’.

“The game felt like we need to start taking our chances, we had so many. It showed how good we can be going forwards. We know the quality in the team, we know what to expect from each other.

”The fans were fantastic today, but then they always are. The sense of urgency was what we needed.”

Walcott led from the front with seven shots, three of which were blocked and one hitting the underside of the crossbar in what would have been a stunning second for the Blues had it just dipped an inch or two lower.

Solid work from the veteran today, and he keeps up this level of performance he could give Silva a good selection headache going forward.