Saturday was a very bright day for Everton.
Ending a 22 year wait, they beat Liverpool at Anfield, pushing Jurgen Klopp’s side further into their form crisis. Having been one of the best teams on the planet last year, the Reds have struggled in this campaign and their Premier League title defence is now almost certainly over.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men are on equal points with their neighbours, and have a game in hand. Things are optimistic at Goodison Park, and a big part of that revolves around James Rodriguez.
Arriving from Real Madrid on a free transfer last summer, with earlier claims of a fee being paid proving false, the Colombian superstar has been a huge boost and he played his part against Everton’s Merseyside rivals.
After the match, he spoke to the media in his own country, and was clearly excited with what he’d been a part of.
Marca Claro quote him as saying: “It was tough. Everyone knows that Liverpool is a great team. I think it’s a team that is in the top 3 of those who play football well. I’m happy to have helped my team win today. Since 1999, Everton haven’t win (at Anfield), so we’ve made history. I’m happy I was there. I hope we can continue well.
“I am happy. We all know it is a new stage for me. Almost 30 years old, I am fine. I am happy for every new thing that is added to my life. It all adds up.”
On what is ahead for Everton, James Rodriguez said: “Something tough is coming for Everton. Everyone knows that in the Premier League every three days, every game, it’s like a final. You have to be ready and have a strong mind to win.”
On his club’s playing style under Ancelotti, he explained: “We always want to win. There are games in which things go well and others in which things go wrong. Football is very physical now. There are teams that don’t have much quality, but they want to win by force, making fouls. We are ready in each game and what we do want is to play well. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t, but hey… it’s part of football.”
