Defender wants struggling Toffees to build on back-to-back draws against West Ham
AFP
London: Everton captain Phil Jagielka says Tuesday’s FA Cup third round replay at West Ham offers 
his side the perfect chance to step up their recent mini-revival.
Roberto Martinez’s side have endured a disappointing season, which sees them languishing at the wrong end of the Premier League, but they have shown signs of getting back on track with a pair of battling draws over the last week.
A 1-1 draw against champions Manchester City on Saturday was the second time in four days they had come from behind at Goodison Park after earning a late FA Cup third round equaliser against West Ham in midweek.
The City result ended a run of four successive league defeats but England centre-back Jagielka knows victory against the Hammers at Upton Park in Tuesday’s replay is essential to their hopes of a more successful second half of the campaign.
“A point was a decent result. It stops the rot but we still know we have to go out and win games and get ourselves in a better league position,” Jagielka said.
“A draw against the champions was never going to be a bad result, but the manner of getting back into the game against West Ham on Tuesday and the manner in which we performed and kept on going against City will make them [this week’s draws] really important going forward.
“We hoped getting a last-minute goal to keep us in the cup was the turning point and we have built on that.
“Now it depends how the next game goes, we need to go and win that game at West Ham.
“We know it is going to be an important point for our season and we have to make sure it is a positive one.
“The cup is a lot more cut-throat. We will take any sort of win to be in the next round.”
Everton’s reward for a win in east London would be a trip to either League One promotion chasers Bristol City or fellow third tier side Doncaster, with their replay also scheduled for Tuesday.
Fixtures
FA Cup third round replays (11.45pm UAE)
Bristol City v Doncaster
Chesterfield v Scunthorpe
West Ham v Everton
Wolves v Fulham
