Toffees on brink of new era, says Moyes

DAVID MOYES insists Everton are fourth in the Premier League on merit, but that they now have to transfer that form into the club’s biggest game in 13 years.

The Everton boss is fully aware the club’s fans are celebrating being in a Champions League spot already, and ahead of local rivals Liverpool.

That position has come at just the right time to boost confidence for the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final against Chelsea tonight (8pm).

The Scot said: “It is terrific that we have got ourselves into fourth place in the week we play a cup semi-final.

“But only if we are still in this position with only four weeks of the season to go can we start saying ‘this is really on’.

“Our form has been good. We need to maintain this, particularly in a very difficult month, with some of our lads away with the African Nations Cup.

“We have been doing well, we now need another good result in the cup.

“We are fourth on merit, because we have won the games and been consistent. But there is no point getting excited about it in January. It is in May that we want to be there.

“We know the fans are buzzing about it. The players feel the same. They know how well we have been playing. What we don’t want now is to freeze against Chelsea. We must be composed and patient on the ball. We have played with flair and quality, and now we need to show that at the very top level, against a team like Chelsea.”

Moyes is well aware of the financial muscle Everton will now face at this rarefied level. Chelsea have spent £15 million (€20.1 million) adding Nicolas Anelka to their squad between the two legs of the semi-final.

Moyes said: “That is frustrating, but what can you do? He is not cup-tied and that is the rule.

“It makes it more difficult because he is a very good player. We are just not able to do things like that.

“Both clubs are missing players to the African Nations Cup. But even that has worked against us because the three we have lost are more important to us, they are key figures.”

Moyes will give late fitness tests to Andrew Johnson, Leon Osman, Manuel Fernandes and Tony Hibbert, and believes his emerging squad is on the brink of a new Everton era.

He said: “It has taken us a time to get Everton back into this position.

“We should not be surprised to see Everton’s name at this stage of a competition, but we now want to make sure there is more of it.

“If we can get to the final I hope it will signal a new era for the club. It probably means more to us than it does to them, it can be our night. But it will take everything we have.”