Zouma: Everton Must Build On Crucial Bournemouth Win

LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom- France international defender Kurt Zouma wants Everton to use Sunday's win over AFC Bournemouth as a launchpad to rediscover their best form. 

Zouma headed his first Blues goal as Marco Silva's men bounced back from successive Premier League defeats against Brighton and Leicester with a 2-0 victory that moved them into the top half of the table. 

Substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin confidently side-footed past Asmir Begovic in injury-time to double a lead that had come from Zouma's 61st-minute opener and make safe three vital points. 

The clean sheet was also a first since the 1-0 home win over Cardiff City at the end of November and Zouma insists Everton must use both as a platform for a strong second half to the campaign.

The 24-year-old ran to manager Silva after scoring and says he was reminding the Portuguese of a pre-match challenge he'd laid down to the defender. 

"I ran to the manager because yesterday he asked me to score today," he explained. "He said, ‘how many goals did you score last year [on loan at Stoke City]?’ and I only scored one. He said, ‘I want to see two more scored' and said I [would] do it today.

"I am really, really happy because we needed that win today, it was very important and we wanted to win. It was made even more enjoyable because I scored the first goal and we kept a clean sheet.

"We stayed focussed in our game and just had to keep confident, keep patient, and we got the goal.

"Now I hope we start winning all of the games." 

Defended excellently

Zouma's opener arrived when he planted home a brilliant left-wing cross from compatriot and fellow summer arrival Lucas Digne, the full-back's third Premier League assist of the season. 

Everton had previously gone close when Michael Keane nodded against the crossbar late in the first half, while Richarlison saw a goalbound effort cleared off the line by Nathan Ake. 

The Blues had to be on their guard as the contest wore on as Bournemouth predictably threw more men forward.

However, Michael Keane defended excellently to foil former Toffee Dan Gosling as five minutes of added time were signalled, and Calvert-Lewin raced on to Ademola Lookman's cut-back to finally wipe out any nerves around Goodison Park with pretty much the final kick of the game. 

"The cross [from Digne] was unbelievable," said Zouma. "I just had to put my head there and the ball went in. 

"I was a bit surprised [to be in so much space], but I had to take it and obviously I’m happy I did. 

"We needed to be strong at the back as well to keep all the balls away from the goal and that’s what we did today and everybody did a great job, I think. 

"Then we managed to score the second one through Dominic and everybody’s happy. We did good work today."