James Tarkowski has called on every one of his team-mates to “stand up and be counted” as Everton fight for Premier League survival.
The centre-back, an influential figure in the Blues' dressing room, told of his disappointment after his side secured a valuable point at Crystal Palace - stressing he had travelled to Selhurst Park wanting to win.
Tarkowski acknowledged there were positives to take from the trip to south London. though, and is adamant Everton’s players have the desire and commitment for the survival fight. But he said he and those around him now have to prove it.
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Speaking after a goalless draw secured a useful point but failed to prevent the Blues from dropping into the bottom three, Tarkowski said: “There are positives for sure - there is a point on the board and a clean sheet. But we have got way more to give and when I look in that dressing room I know it is in there.”
Tarkowski said he had hoped for a faster start on Saturday to reward a passionate travelling support and put an in-form Palace under immediate pressure: “I think we can look at the performance and still be disappointed. We didn’t start fast enough. We have got 3,000 fans who have travelled here, we wanted to start fast and show the commitment and the desire and the teamwork that we have got in that dressing room - it is all there and everyone in there is trying their heart out to stay in this league so we have just got to go out onto the pitch and show it.”
The 30-year-old said he had little time for the league table until the end of the season, echoing the sentiments of his manager, yet spoke openly about the impact of being at the wrong end. He said: “Being down the bottom of the table hammers your belief a little bit, it downs your confidence a little bit, and it is hard to come out, it is.
“But you have got to stand up and be counted now, every man, not just the lads who are starting but the ones who are coming on to be involved.”
After being relegated with Burnley last season he said he could approach the run-in with perspective and, as a result, was full of belief there is a long way to go in the survival battle.
Tarkowski, who is likely to start when Everton welcome Champions League-chasing Newcastle United to Goodison Park on Thursday might, added: “I’m not panicking, I’m not nervous, I don’t think it is life or death right now, we have just got to take it game by game.
“IWhen I look around that dressing room there are lads giving everything for this club, and myself, so we just look forward to every game and we have just go in there and get points on the board.”
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