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The words left him no room to wriggle. Marco Silva had chosen the phrase “must win” for Everton’s trip to Cardiff which, given his position, was risk.
For once, however, it all worked to plan. Everton, the team who have made losing a habit, roused themselves from a low ebb to run out comfortable victors in the Principality and administer a shot of confidence in the process.
After holding face-to-face talks in London last week, Silva needed to give Farhad Moshiri, Everton’s major shareholder, three points on the third anniversary of the Iranian billionaire’s arrival at the club and, really, it was never in doubt from the moment Gylfi Sigurdsson settled their nerves.
Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates scoring their third goal of the match in stoppage time on Tuesday evening
Calvert-Lewin celebrates make it 3-0 to the Toffees against relegation-threatened Cardiff late on in the encounter
Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson celebrates scoring their second goal of the game against Cardiff on Tuesday evening
Sigurdsson doubled Everton’s lead in the 66th minute of the match with a left-footed strike at the Cardiff City Stadium
Midfielder Sigurdsson celebrates scoring the Toffees’ second goal with second-half substitute Bernard (left)
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford celebrates his side’s second goal in the second half of the league clash on Tuesday
Cardiff players look dejected after Sigurdsson scores a goal to make it 2-0 to Everton during the second period
Sigurdsson, the standout investment of the Moshiri era at £45million, was the standout performer, scoring either side of half-time, taking great delight as former Swansea player to push Cardiff closer to the precipice. This was the perfect way to warm up for Sunday’s Merseyside derby.
Silva had taken umbrage to a question in his pre-match conference about whether he felt compelled to do anything radical to a change a run of 10 defeats in 16 games but his selection was radical, the prime example being the returns of Morgan Schneiderlin and Phil Jagielka.
The pair had mustered just 341 minutes of action in the Premier League all season, with Jagielka’s last start being at Wolves on the opening day. His rust showed in the first 90 seconds, as a short back pass to Jordan Pickford almost allowed Kenneth Zohore to profit.
It was the first of some notable anxious moments in the opening 10 minutes. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing thumped a drive into the chest of Lucas Digne and Zohore drove a volley into the side-netting after a clipped pass from Aron Gunnarson. Everton, brittle and fragile, looked like they may crack.
MATCH FACTS, LIVE LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
CARDIFF CITY (4-2-3-1): Etheridge 6: Manga 5, Morrison 5, Bamba 6, Bennett 5: Bacuna 5 (Paterson 69mins 5), Gunnarsson 6: Mendez-Laing 6, Cordova-Reid 5, Hoilett 6: Zohore 7 Subs not used: Smithies (GK), Peltier, Arter, Ward, Murphy, Paterson, Harris
Booked: Morrison, Bacuna
Manager: Neil Warnock 6
EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford 6: Coleman 7, Keane 6.5, Jagielka 6, Digne 6: Schneiderlin 8, Gueye 7: Walcott 5, Sigurdsson 8.5, Richarlison 5: Calvert-Lewin 6 Subs not used: Stekelenburg (GK), Gomes, Mina, Tosun, Bernard, Lookman, Kenny
Goals: Sigurdsson (41)
Booked: Digne
Manager: Marco Silva 7
Referee: K Friend 7
Attendance: 31,849
Man-of-the-Match: Gylfi Sigurdsson
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Gylfi Sigurdsson opened the scoring for the Toffees just before half-time. CLICK HERE for more from Sportsmail’s Match Zone.
Everton’s Sigurdsson celebrates scoring their first goal of the game against Cardiff just before the half-time whistle
Sigurdsson broke the deadlock at the Cardiff City Stadium in the 41st minute with a strike into the bottom corner
Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge cannot save the shot from midfielder Sigurdsson (not pictured) and his side fall behind
Toffees’ Sigurdsson celebrates scoring their opening goal with his team-mates Seamus Coleman and Richarlison (left)
They were able to wriggle off the hook, though, as Cardiff are so limited. It is a minor miracle they are not adrift at the bottom with Huddersfield and a lack of quality, rather than a lack of character, will be their undoing.
Slowly – and it was torturous to watch – Everton clambered into the contest. A few set pieces caused uncomfortable moments for Cardiff’s defence and, eventually, they were able to push Warnock’s men deeper and deeper until they got a clear opening in the 40th minute.
Schneiderlin was heavily involved as he swapped passes with Theo Walcott and Idrissa Gueye then ushered Seamus Coleman forward; the Irishman’s cross was precise and Sigurdsson’s finish was emphatic, swept in from 10 yards.
On the touchline, Silva roared his approval. You could not say he looked happy but, certainly, he was relieved. To concede the first goal in a match of this significance would have been a calamity, so open the scoring provided much-needed respite.
Cardiff captain Sean Morrison reacts during the Premier League match at home to Everton on Tuesday evening
Everton defender Coleman and Cardiff’s Junior Hoilett (right) battle for the ball during the first half of Premier League clash
Cardiff’s Nathaniel Mendez-Laing challenges for the ball with Everton’s Richarlison during the second half of the encounter
There was something appropriate about Sigurdsson providing the finish. It was his 10th league goal of the campaign, which is a credible return. His commitment cannot be faulted, he suffers due to the exorbitant price Swansea managed to extract when they sold him in August 2017.
With a lead to protect, the question Everton had to answer in the second period was whether they could hold their nerve. The last time they were in such a position at Huddersfield on January 30, they made heavy weather of keeping a clean sheet and Cardiff sensed their vulnerability.
Zohore, such a nuisance, caused them some alarm when Schneiderlin confidently cleared scurrying to the byline but his cross into the six-yard box and that was as good as it got for Cardiff; Everton started to grow in confidence and, eventually, they settled matters.
Idrissa Gueye, in the 66th minute, invited substitute Bernard to dash into the area and while his cross was palmed away, it only went as far as Sigurdsson, who drilled his effort beyond Neil Etheridge. Dominic Calvert-Lewin applied the gloss in injury time with a smart finish to achieve the objective.
Everton had won – and Silva, eventually, could smile.
Everton manager Marco Silva (left) talks with Cardiff manager Neil Warnock ahead of the league encounter on Tuesday
Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye (right) vies with Cardiff striker Bobby Reid in the opening exchanges at Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff’s Aron Gunnarsson wipes the ball with a towel on the sidelines before taking a throw-in during the first 45 minutes
Everton’s Theo Walcott holds his right foot as he sits on the field of play with his side looking to break the deadlock
Everton full back Lucas Digne heads away under pressure from Cardiff’s Mendez-Laing during the league contest
Everton substitute Bernard tries to break clear of the challenge from Cardiff’s Bruno Ecuele Manga during the second half
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