Leighton Baines helped fire Everton into the FA Cup quarter-finals thanks to a 3-1 win against Swansea at Goodison Park and insisted that they have further room for improvement.
The Toffees went ahead inside four minutes when January loan signing Lacina Traore marked his debut with a goal, before Swansea levelled in the 15th minute after Jonathan de Guzman capped a counter-attack with a back post header which flew into the top corner of the net, giving Joel Robles no chance.
Steven Pienaar hit the underside of the bar for Everton before Kevin Mirallas saw a free-kick parried by Gerhard Tremmel as the teams went into the break on level terms.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez made what turned out to be an inspired change on the hour as substitute Steven Naismith pounced on a poor backpass from Neil Taylor to fire past Tremmel and put Everton back in front on 65 minutes, before he was then brought down in the area by Jazz Richards and Baines converted from the penalty spot to seal the win.
Martinez’s men face an away-day at Arsenal, who edged past Liverpool
2-1 at the Emirates on Sunday, in the quarter-finals and Baines has warned the Gunners that they will improve.
He said: “We were the better team and deserved to win. But if anything we caused ourselves problems by being sloppy in possession.
“But we know we can improve on that. Our own problems were our own doing rather then being caused by them.”
Leave a comment
Link Dafabet