Jagielka: United draw felt like win

16 September 2010 18:46
Phil Jagielka admits Everton's 3-3 draw against Manchester United on Saturday felt like a victory - but he knows they need an actual one soon.[LNB] The Merseysiders, who went into the contest at Goodison Park with just a point from their opening three Premier League games, staged a dramatic late comeback thanks to stoppage-time goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta.[LNB]The ending might have been even sweeter for the hosts, with Everton on the attack and Jagielka about to shoot as referee Martin Atkinson blew his whistle for full-time.[LNB]David Moyes remonstrated with Atkinson immediately afterwards and has since admitted to a charge of improper conduct from the Football Association, while his side - also beaten at Blackburn and Aston Villa and held at home by Wolves so far this term - remain in the relegation zone.[LNB]It has made for a disappointing start, but the stirring finale against United left Jagielka with that winning feeling - something the defender now wants to start sampling for real.[LNB]"It felt like we had won the game," Jagielka said.[LNB]"We were pretty much dead and buried and there were opportunities for Manchester United to make it 4-1 or 5-1.[LNB]"But thankfully we stuck in, Tim Howard made some fantastic saves and as he always does, Tim Cahill popped up with the goal.[LNB]"Then we put a little bit of pressure on, the ball fell to the person we wanted it to on the edge of the box and Mikel did enough to put it in.[LNB]"If you have watched our games, we still can't understand how we lost the Villa match - maybe we were just missing a little bit of luck.[LNB]"Against Man United we played well for spells and against Blackburn, there was nothing in it except for a couple of mistakes.[LNB]"It sounds easy for me to say, but we have literally just been a little bit unlucky.[LNB]"I don't think there is a crisis, but at the same time, we need to address the situation that we are in.[LNB]"We don't want to be here come November or December and be in the bottom three still. We have to start pulling our socks up and picking up results."[LNB]Jagielka is particularly eager to do well this term, having missed a large chunk of the 2009-10 campaign through injury.[LNB]He has made an impressive return to action both with his club and the England team, and the 28-year-old hopes Everton can also start showing some form again after the performance against United.[LNB]"I was dying for the season to start having missed the majority of it last year," Jagielka said.[LNB]"We have been a little bit slow out of the blocks - some people might say as usual - but we are desperate to get our form back to where it was towards the latter end of last season.[LNB]"The draw against Manchester United will hopefully be the kick-start that we needed.[LNB]"We've played some good football, but unfortunately been punished for every little mistake that we have made. Hopefully we have turned a corner."[LNB]Jagielka was speaking at a training session with pupils from the Archbishop Beck Catholic High School, who will be representing England in the Danone Nations Cup World Final in South Africa from September 30 to October 3.

Source: Team_Talk