Everton's goal scoring hero Anthony Gordon vowed to do everything possible to keep Everton in the Premier League.
With family and friends who support the Blues the 21-year-old said the side's fortunes "affect my life daily" and he could not sleep following the Burnley defeat last week. He added the dressing room was "devastated" following the game at Turf Moor, admitting "I am not the best company" after a loss.
But, speaking after his first half goal led Everton to a crucial victory over Manchester United, he said of relegation: "I am not going to accept that."
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Gordon said he endured a difficult few days in the build up to the home clash on Saturday as the Burnley match played on his mind.
He said: "I have said it before I live and breathe it - unfortunately. It affects my life daily. I cannot sleep after games like that, especially when I feel I could have done a bit better in some moments in that game. Unfortunately, it does affect me daily.
"I couldn’t sleep and stuff, but we recovered and it is part of the life of being a footballer... I have family members and friends and I see people day to day who love Everton. So I feel it a bit more or just as much as everyone else because I am living and breathing it and everywhere I go people are talking to me about it. I am happy now that we have won and I can go and positive about it."
Gordon added that, after a defeat, "it is difficult for me and everyone around me for the next two days". And he said he was not alone in this, questioning how people can suggest footballers 'do not care' about the plight of their club.
He explained: "I can never understand that one because as footballers we do this every single day, we give our lives to it and we do a lot that people don't see. I get it if people think we are having bad days and stuff and we might be off it, but not caring? I don’t really get it."
Gordon, whose emergence in the first team has been a highlight during a difficult season for Everton, said he was delighted with his goal at Goodison Park on Saturday and revealed he is working hard to contribute to the team.
The England U21 starlet said: "I want to be a game changer and a matchwinner."
After Everton initially slipped to just a point above the relegation zone he said the possibility of relegation grew - but in a message to Blues fans he added he is determined to prevent the club from falling into the Championship.
As the weekend results restored Everton's four point gap to the bottom three, he said: "[Relegation] was never my thought, but as we got a few bad results it became the reality. I think we had to finally accept it: this is our reality now until we change it. It definitely has been a thought, but as I have said before we are too good. It won’t happen. I am a winner. I am not going to accept that, because of the size of the club, and just me as an individual. It is not going to happen."
