Marco Silva sees the Carabao Cup as a springboard for Everton’s season.
Tuesday’s clash against the Portuguese coach’s former club Watford offers the Blues a chance to book their place in the competition’s quarter-final stage.
Everton head into the encounter on the back of just one win in their previous six Premier League games and slumped to a 3-2 reversal at Brighton last weekend.
But Silva believes that their Carabao Cup form has the potential to transform Goodison Park’s early-season fortunes heading into Sunday’s visit of Tottenham.
He said: “First, we need the win tomorrow to keep playing in the Carabao Cup, to play in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. It’s our ambition to go there.
“And, of course, after a good win the mood will be different and the confidence will be different. It can support well our next game against Tottenham.
“But we have to think of each game in the right moment and now the full focus is on this game.
“Let’s see how some players they will be tomorrow as well but we will have to be really strong to win the game.”