Hammers Must-Win Says under-fire Silva

Marco Silva accepted hostility from Everton fans was justified and says their next game against West Ham United is must win. The pressure is on Silva and his team is reaching fever pitch as the Toffees suffered a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

Jeff Hendrick’s 72nd-minute goal was enough for Burnley to secure a 1-0 win at Turf Moor, with the visitors reduced to 10 men with more than half an hour remaining when Seamus Coleman was shown a second yellow card.
It is Everton’s worst run in the league for nearly five years and the visiting fans directed their anger at Silva after the final whistle.

The Portuguese was happy to take the flak that was aimed at him, saying it was deserved, and then labelled the next game against West Ham in a fortnight as a must-win. “They will keep supporting us, I have no doubts about that but, if you are asking if they should be angry with the team and with myself, then of course, that is normal,” Silva said.

“I understand 100 per cent why they (the fans) are angry with us but we have to stick together and the next game is a must-win game for us. Last season we had a worse moment than this one and we reacted fantastic. I have no doubts we are able to do that again. We must win the next game.”

That will be easier said than done against a West Ham side, who have been going well before a defeat against Crystal Palace, and will also be desperate to bounce back.

Meanwhile, Silva also confronted referee Graham Scott after the final whistle and felt Coleman’s second yellow, for jumping into Dwight McNeil, was questionable. “The second yellow had a big impact on the game,” the Everton boss said. “It looked a harsh decision, a really harsh decision in my opinion.