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Moyes Aims High

Manager is not happy finishing 7th

David Moyes says his only motivation for the remainder of the season is finishing as high as possible in the Barclays Premier League.

The Toffees are well placed to end up in a better position than their neighbours Liverpool for only the second time since their last title win of 1987.

With two games remaining, Moyes's side have a three-point advantage over their rivals and can take a big step towards a higher finish with victory at relegated Wolves on Sunday.

That would doubtless provide comfort for supporters after losing to Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-finals but Moyes's chief aim is to keep the current seventh spot, the best they can now attain.

The Scot said: "It is not something I am overly talking about. We have got two games to go, so it is running out. We have got a couple of points ahead so because of that we would try to stay above anybody, but it wouldn't matter if it was Liverpool or any other team in the division. You just want to stay as high up the league as you can."

It has been a difficult campaign for Moyes, beginning against a backdrop of fan protests against the board over a continued lack of investment in the squad. For more than two years, Moyes was forced to rely largely on free transfers and loans to strengthen his side but again he has battled through to achieve respectability.

The purse strings were loosened a little in January as he brought in striker Nikica Jelavic from Rangers and the Croatian has proved an instant hit, fuelling the Blues' strong finish with 10 goals in 14 appearances. With two other cheap arrivals in midfielder Darron Gibson and loanee Steven Pienaar also making an impact, Moyes feels the season is heading towards a satisfactory conclusion, even if he wants better.

Moyes said: "If you had given me this at the start of the season I would have taken it because it's close to where we have been in recent seasons. But I can't turn around and say I am happy finishing seventh or eighth because that is no ambition.

"That is why, at the start of every season, I say I want to win the league — and I do want to win the league. If I can't finish first I'll try to finish second or third or fourth. But the best we can do at the moment is seventh.

"I would have taken that but it is not great ambition if that is all you have got."

Everton, who made another slow start with only three wins in their first 10 Premier League games, are unbeaten in their last seven and were particularly impressive in thrashing Fulham 4-0 last weekend. They then drew at Stoke in midweek in another performance that impressed Moyes and he feels they are now a much better side than they were in the opening months of the season.

He said: "It has made watching much easier. At the start, I was saying I didn't know how to watch it at times because it was so bad... but I think at this moment in time I would.

"The play is good, we are playing some really good football. We're mixing it up, we can go long or pass it through the middle. The introduction of Steven Pienaar has helped us play much better and encouraged others to play better.

"Leon Osman has come back into form and Marouane Fellaini is enjoying his football. You can see that in the last three or four months. Overall, we are playing much better and you can see the confidence flowing through the team."

Everton will again be without influential left-back Leighton Baines this weekend despite the England international making good progress in his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Moyes said: "Bainesy might have a chance against Newcastle but he won't make this game. He is coming on fine, his injury isn't too serious, but with hamstrings you don't want to take a risk too soon."

Quotes or other material sourced from Sporting Life

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