Everton's League Cup quarterfinal clash against Middlesbrough is "massive" for Roberto Martinez's side, according to Gareth Barry.
Gareth Barry says Everton must use the disappointment of twice giving away the lead against AFC Bournemouth to spur itself to victory in its League Cup quarterfinal against Middlesbrough on Tuesday.
Having thrown away a two-goal lead in the last 10 minutes of normal time, Everton looked to have snatched a vital Premier League win at the Vitality Stadium thanks to Ross Barkley's 95th-minute goal.
But it was not to be for Roberto Martinez's men, as the hosts raced up the other end and leveled through Junior Stanislas' second goal of the game.
That 3-3 draw does mean though that Everton is now unbeaten in five league games heading into the clash against in-form Boro, with Aitor Karanka's side – which knocked out Manchester United on penalties at Old Trafford in the last round – having triumphed in five of its last six Championship outings.
And Barry is well aware of the threat that Boro, second in the Championship, will pose, claiming Everton must remain focused to secure a place in the semifinals – a stage it last reached in 2008.
"Any disappointment in football, you don't want to dwell on it for too long," the veteran midfielder – who is yet to start a League Cup game this season – told Everton's official website. "It's a massive game for the club and you don't get too many chances to play in semifinals, so the guys have got to recover and focus on Tuesday's game.
"There will be four or five thousand [Everton] fans there and they will play a major part. No matter what, we have to try and put ourselves in the hat for the next round."
Boro, which beat Manchester City in last season's FA Cup, maintained its fine run of form by dispatching Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday.
But Karanka was far from thrilled with his side's display at the John Smith Stadium, warning that Boro must be at its best once again to claim another Premier League scalp.
"If we play the way we did in the first half then we will lose five or six nil," said Karanka. "We have to learn, I know the motivation will be completely different to play Everton at home.
"It's going to be different against a Premier League team, we played really well against Manchester United and [last season] Manchester City."
Everton is likely to be without James McCarthy [groin] after the midfielder limped off midway through the second half against Bournemouth, though Leighton Baines [ankle] could be in line to make his first appearance of the campaign.