Abdoulaye Doucoure is calling on his Everton side to produce a repeat performance of the one that put them on the road to survival last season. The sold-out away end provided the soundtrack to the Blues’ 2-1 victory, their voices dominating the King Power for much of the match and then long after it. And Doucoure believes his side need a repeat on Monday if they are to escape the drop.
Abdoulaye Doucoure said: “It was a massive game last year, I remember, against Leicester. It is going to be another one on Monday. We have to win games. That’s what we need.”
Two strikes from Callum Wilson and further goals from Joelinton and Jacob Murphy were more than enough to keep Newcastle firmly on course for Champions League qualification. But the defeat leaves the Blues marooned in the drop zone, needing a minor miracle to repeat last season’s great escape from relegation. And even the most optimistic Everton fan is starting to give up hope, but Doucoure has pleaded with his side’s supporters to stick with his side, claiming they now need them more than ever.
Abdoulaye Doucoure said: “Of course they were terrific before the game, and they were terrific during the game. The support is big for us. We need them more than ever. Even more important than last year because this is very difficult, but they are always here for us, and we really appreciate the support.”
And asked how many games his side needed to win to stay up,
Abdoulaye Doucoure said: “To be honest, I don’t know. Obviously, we need wins because other teams win games as well. At the end of the season, we have to be safe.”