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Marco Silva has told his players they must 'be Everton' and produce a reaction against Sheffield Wednesday this week.

The Blues boss heads into Tuesday night's Carabao Cup third round tie at Hillsborough under pressure following the shock defeat at home to Sheffield United.

Silva insists the squad must "embrace" the challenge after they were jeered at Goodison on Saturday and deliver a performance befitting of the club and 'be Everton'.

Asked to expand on that, Silva said: "Play football play in our way and be aggressive, go there and afterwards we see the result. 100% commitment, 100% attitude, be aggressive on the pitch - when you talk about Everton Football Club these things always need to be there - always, always, always until the last minute.

"We have to show the personality and desire this club demands. Playing for this club you are asking about the pressure of the reaction (from fans) as well, playing at this type of club, you have to show that reaction, whoever you are.

"To be an Everton football player, an Everton manager to represent this club you have to show a really strong personality and character, and that desire we have to put from the first until the end, and after we will see the results.

"If it is always there, then most of the time the result will be good for us."

Asked what he would say to reassure restless supporters, Silva said: "I just know one way: to work hard. Learn from the mistakes.

"It is the only way I know in football I know to improve and to do the things you want. Unfortunately for us, it is not the first time that it happened here. We had a bad period last year and we reacted. We regrouped and started to do things in a different way in some moments. It is what I expect and what I want and we will see what happens in the next game."

It was put to Silva that Saturday's defeat looked like it had taken it out of him, and he replied: "We didn’t expect the result. We came from fantastic home form, the last game as well.

"It’s a frustration for us because we concede an own goal and then conceded the second goal.

"It’s a frustration for me, for the players, for the fans. It is what it is.

"We had enough time in the period after the first goal to change the result for us. In football you have to keep calm, even when you want to play with pace. We have to keep calm.

"If you are not calm, you cannot make the right decisions inside the pitch."