By the end, he didn’t really want to look. Head bowed, hands running through his hair, Marco Silva’s actions showed there is no life for him as a poker player.
Everton’s manager went to Huddersfield under pressure but returned with a critical victory, one which was built on the club’s old-fashioned values of grit and determination. They didn’t play well, by any means, but three points was all that mattered.
If Silva was relieved to see his 10-men escape with three points, thanks predominantly to a super display from Jordan Pickford in the second half, Jan Siewart will know exactly the size of the task that confronts him in Yorkshire.
The arrival of a new man usually triggers a bounce but, unfortunately, there was fizz in the stands. The John Smith’s Stadium has been wonderfully atmospheric for the past two seasons, a place you knew that everyone was having a good time regardless of the result, but it was unusually flat here.
Siewart received a generous ovation when he emerged before kick-off but you sensed the locals have accepted what fate awaits them in May and, within three minutes, the German saw why 10 of Huddersfield’s last 11 matches have ended in defeat.
Everton began aggressively, with recalled midfielder Tom Davies a prominent figure, and they got the boost they craved when Leighton Baines – another of Silva’s five changes – worked a short corner that culminated with Richarlison prodding in from close range.
How Silva enjoyed it. Three jabs of his fist and a roar of delight showed how the pressure had been released ever so slightly. Everton’s performances have given him increased angst and another false step would have been a calamity.
Immediately, Siewart began waving his arms in attempt to cajole his players but the hush that descended was symptomatic of a crowd that knew the implications. With only five goals in their previous 12 home fixtures, the chances of them scoring two in the remaining 87 minutes were scant.
To give an idea of how limited Huddersfield are in terms of their attack, it took until the stroke of half-time for them to even have a shot: it couldn’t be described as a serious attempt on goal as Stevie Mounie’s shot ended up closer to the corner flag than it did to Jordan Pickford.
Huddersfield, really, were there to be taken apart and it was only down to the fact Everton have been so crippled by a lack of confidence that they did not go through the gears to have things wrapped up by the interval.
Much to Silva’s exasperation, the visitors were laboured and other than a shot from Gylfi Sigurdsson which Jonas Lossl comfortably caught, Everton had no cutting edge and their £27milllion striker Cenk Tosun seemed more intent on fighting with Huddersfield’s defenders than causing mischief. (361)
They needed to show more, much more, and Everton re-emerged with a little more purpose. Davies, again, was driving force and his surging run to get on the end of good play between Tosun and Sigurdsson ended with him cracking a drive straight at Lossl.
One more goal would make the points safe. Everyone in the stadium knew it, none more so than Silva; to watch him was to see a portrait of a man desperate for break, as he shuffled impatiently from side-to-side and shook his head in frustration when a pass missed its target.
A rare Huddersfield opening on the hour, when Elias Kachunga headed Terence Kongolo’s cross wide, led the Portuguese to spin on his heels and mutter darkly. His team, certainly, were not making it easy for him.
Never more was that apparent than in the 67th minute when substitute Digne, who had replaced Baines, got caught out of position and then exacerbated his error when committing the most obvious professional foul on Adama Diakhaby. The resulting red card was inevitable.
Huddersfield could not have wished for a better position for the free-kick but, indicative of the way things are going, Aaron Mooy’s curling effort was beaten away by Jordan Pickford. And Everton, finally, were able to breathe a little easier.
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