Anthony Gordon “really close” [to a first-team call]

Everton academy graduate, Anthony Gordon is really close to breaking into Everton’s first-team squad, according to Marco Silva.

Silva told evertonfc.com “He is really close [to a first-team call], I will tell you, unfortunately for him maybe it is the position on the pitch where we have most quality, where competition is hardest.

“He can play in the three positions in our attack line, more or less the same profile as Richarlison, who can play left, right, or behind the striker or even alone up front.

“Since we took Anthony to work with the first team every single day, I am always seeing improvements.

“Even in the moments when he does not do all the session with the team, he is always aware of everything, trying to learn every time.

“Even when he stays with one of my staff, doing something individual, he is always trying to improve.

“You can see the results because he has quality.

“He is the player [from the Academy and Under-23s] since I joined Everton who is closest to reaching the first team.

“When I look to him, it is because he has really high quality.

“He changed something.

“His intensity is different, he is working with the first team, he changed something in his way to play in some moments.

“He is doing really well, it is up to him to keep working hard because with his level he will achieve the first team. I don’t have doubts about that.”

“To give chances in these types of moments, we have to be sure.

“We have to try to help the players perform well.

“We might wait for a player to get his chance in the right moment, for him to come in step by step, in a normal way, and not put pressure on him to solve problems.

“We want players in our [current] attack line to take responsibility to be more clinical, it is not fair to put this pressure on Anthony Gordon.

“He is playing well and making a big difference for the Under-23s.

“He just has to keep working that way and the chance will appear for him.”