Plenty still to play for insists Martinez

, 10 March, 0comments  |  Jump to most recent
Roberto Martinez insists that Everton's season is still very much alive despite the club's disappointing exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Arsenal on Saturday.

With 11 games still to play in the Premier League and the European qualification situation now clearer (sixth place will probably be the lowest League place to earn a Europa League slot), the manager says that his team now knows its targets as the Blues look to finish as high as possible.

"We are fully focused now," he says. "We have just got the league — 33 points to play for, which is a phenomenal amount.

"The season now is very much alive for us. As a group now we have got a clear indication of where we need to get."

While the post-mortem of the 4-1 defeat at the Emirates, the latest away defeat to a top-five side this season, continues Martinez is confident that his players are learning all the time and that they will use each experience to get closer to being able to compete equally with the top teams.

"We are in a position where, because of our football club and the history we have, we should be expecting to win titles," the Spaniard continues.

"It is going to be a bit of a process and a bit of work but I think you saw we are not far away from being able to go to Arsenal and be able to get through to an FA Cup semi-final.

"Now it's just a matter of making sure the small margins get affected in our favour and we can progress without expecting to go into big places like the Emirates and be beaten.

"The performances are showing that we're starting to develop that belief so the next stage is to be able to reflect it in the scoreline."

Everton slipped back into seventh place on Saturday as Manchester United edged back above them on goal difference thanks to their League win at West Bromwich Albion, but the Blues have a game in hand on David Moyes's side and have played two less than fifth-placed Tottenham who are just five points away.

With six of their remaining 11 games at home and having travelled now to all of the teams above them, the opportunity is there to finish the season strongly.

Quotes sourced from Sky Sports





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