Silva: Everton did more than enough to win

Everton dominated possession and shot totals, hit the post twice, and watched the Crystal Palace goalie Vicente Guaita make a stunning point-blank save late to preserve the 0-0 draw for the hosts.

Speaking after the game, manager Marco Silva echoed the sentiments of most fans who watched the game.

“Since the first minute, we dominated all the game in our offensive parts. We created chances, we had two shots off the post, there was a fantastic save from the goalkeeper, maybe 10 or 11 corners also. We did more than enough to win the match, it’s just that we were not clinical.

“It is clear to me, when you come here to play against Crystal Palace, who are in a good moment, they are really strong in their counter-attack and we gave nothing for them to put on the pitch. After they created the counter-attack, we had a good balance and then we created enough chances to score.

”We dominated the game. I told our players that we tried everything and we just didn’t put the ball in the net because we did everything well until that moment.”

Unlike the Fulham game where the Blues played poorly and flat out deserved to lose, they actually played well today and that will be even more frustrating for the supporters, especially as they watch Wolverhampton now running away with the seventh spot after a win over Watford FC.

However, there is some consolation in the performance levels as it’ll take just a couple of small tweaks, an injection or two of quality in some key spots to make the Toffees even better next season.

“We are improving, there are no doubts about that. I don’t want to talk about next season because we have two games to play and things to keep improving, things to keep showing - good football and giving points for our fans is everything that we want.

”Our focus now is against Burnley next Friday, which will be tough. It will be the last game of the season with our fans and we want to give them the three points.”

Will the Blues have any motivation in the two remaining games, against Burnley and then away at Tottenham Hotspur?

“We have to do everything to win the matches, which is what we did this afternoon.

”Playing how we played, with this quality and balance and being solid like we were, and playing offensive football, we are closer to winning matches and that is the most important thing for me.

”Our fans were fantastic like always. Their reception for our players at the end of the match means they can see what we did. We tried everything and their reaction showed that.

”They want us giving 100 per cent and playing good football – and winning matches. We didn’t win but all the other things we try to do, we put on the pitch.

”The supporters won’t go home really, really happy – because we didn’t win. But they know we tried everything, which is important.”

Captain of the day Seamus Coleman agreed with Silva’s assessment of the Toffees’ domination.

“All around the pitch, I felt like we dominated the game. That’s no disrespect to Crystal Palace because they are a very good team. So, when I say we dominated, we always had to be careful of them on the break. I think we handled that very well.

“We created chances, we got into good positions, the keeper made good saves and we hit the post a couple of times.

“Confidence is high, we have not changed an awful lot [in our style], but the manager has stuck to the same principles – we’re dominating games more and getting some good results

“I think, with the confidence we’ve got, the lads are starting to play better, be more comfortable on the ball and do things that we weren’t doing two or three months ago, when results weren’t going so well for us.

“But we need to be coming here and getting all three points to kick on, and that’s something we’ll be looking to do next season.”