Kurt Zouma wants to end his loan spell with Everton on a high after admitting he has grown to relish his time with the Toffees more and more as the season has progressed.
The defender completed a move from Chelsea in the final moments of transfer deadline day back in August and has gone on to make 35 appearances for Marco Silva’s side, as well as re-establishing himself in the France international set-up.
Zouma helped Everton keep an eighth clean sheet in 10 matches in Friday’s 2-0 win over Burnley as the Blues made it five games unbeaten at Goodison Park.
The Frenchman acknowledged it was the perfect way to sign off on home soil but says he and his teammates will be going all out to make life tough for top-four chasing Spurs when they visit their new stadium for the first time in the final game of the season next Sunday.
The defender completed a move from Chelsea in the final moments of transfer deadline day back in August and has gone on to make 35 appearances for Marco Silva’s side, as well as re-establishing himself in the France international set-up.
Zouma helped Everton keep an eighth clean sheet in 10 matches in Friday’s 2-0 win over Burnley as the Blues made it five games unbeaten at Goodison Park.
The Frenchman acknowledged it was the perfect way to sign off on home soil but says he and his teammates will be going all out to make life tough for top-four chasing Spurs when they visit their new stadium for the first time in the final game of the season next Sunday.
Asked if he has grown to enjoy his spell with Everton more as the campaign has gone on, an effusive Zouma said: “Yes. I knew when I signed here I was joining a great club, a very big club with big history and great fans as well, and I can see all season they were always behind us, behind me as well, they supported me a lot and I really enjoyed my time here.
“But it’s not finished. We’ve still got a game to go and then we’ll see what’s going to happen next.
“To finish the season like this, to win at home, is very important. We still have another game to play but it’s great support from the fans. They’ve been here all season supporting us, they gave us a lot of help and we’re happy today to have won for them.”
An early own goal from Burnley’s Ben Mee was added to when skipper Seamus Coleman headed in to put Everton into an unassailable 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes at Goodison.
The aforementioned clean sheet was also a fifth in a row at home, with Silva’s resilient side having shut out Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United during a splendid run of form at the Grand Old Lady.
Zouma says proving themselves against some of the league’s top outfits has instilled the Blues with a belief they can topple anybody - and says Tottenham won’t get an easy ride when they look cap their own home campaign with a victory.
He said: “Since the Cardiff game [in late February], we’ve built something I think. We won 3-0 away there, then we had the derby and kept another clean sheet, so I think the confidence came from there and has grown and you can see the guys now, everybody knows each other, we are playing very, very well but it’s not finished yet.
“We are happy to finish on a high at home but we have another game, it’s going to very difficult but we need to be ready for it.
“We feel very confident. We can see we are playing very well, with the ball, without the ball, everybody is defending, everybody is attacking, so we’ll go there [to Tottenham] with confidence.
“We know they need to win the game but it’s going to be difficult to beat us.”
“But it’s not finished. We’ve still got a game to go and then we’ll see what’s going to happen next.
“To finish the season like this, to win at home, is very important. We still have another game to play but it’s great support from the fans. They’ve been here all season supporting us, they gave us a lot of help and we’re happy today to have won for them.”
🗣 | We're leaving the last word on tonight's home win to the manager. #EFC 🔵
— Everton (@Everton) May 3, 2019
🔊 Sound 🔛 for Marco's message! pic.twitter.com/8jJ3AXcH2T
An early own goal from Burnley’s Ben Mee was added to when skipper Seamus Coleman headed in to put Everton into an unassailable 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes at Goodison.
The aforementioned clean sheet was also a fifth in a row at home, with Silva’s resilient side having shut out Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United during a splendid run of form at the Grand Old Lady.
Zouma says proving themselves against some of the league’s top outfits has instilled the Blues with a belief they can topple anybody - and says Tottenham won’t get an easy ride when they look cap their own home campaign with a victory.
He said: “Since the Cardiff game [in late February], we’ve built something I think. We won 3-0 away there, then we had the derby and kept another clean sheet, so I think the confidence came from there and has grown and you can see the guys now, everybody knows each other, we are playing very, very well but it’s not finished yet.
“We are happy to finish on a high at home but we have another game, it’s going to very difficult but we need to be ready for it.
“We feel very confident. We can see we are playing very well, with the ball, without the ball, everybody is defending, everybody is attacking, so we’ll go there [to Tottenham] with confidence.
“We know they need to win the game but it’s going to be difficult to beat us.”
