Moyes hit by cup injury scares

THIS end-of-season affair should have been one long knees-up for both these sides, with Fulham sealing qualification for next season’s Europa League and Everton warming up nicely for Saturday’s FA Cup final.

Instead, it ended with both managers sporting anxious expressions. Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, knows he must now spend heavily to ensure his squad can compete on several fronts next season; David Moyes, meanwhile, has new injury concerns ahead of the trip to Wembley.

Steven Pienaar and captain Phil Neville both sustained worrying hamstring injuries, with both being substituted during the second half.

“Phil has got a problem with his hamstring, as has Steven, so we need to see how they are,” said Moyes.

“I don’t think they are struggling. Phil’s was a little bit worse than Steven’s injury so I’m just going to have to see how he is as the week progresses.”

Injuries aside, Moyes was delighted with the performance and the fifth-place finish it ensured.

“I’ve got to congratulate the players for that,” he added. “But in a strange way we expect if from them. They are good enough to be there.

“We should not be surprised when it happens. We have kept rolling on. I’ve got to give great credit to the players. They have knuckled down and got on with the job, despite the injuries we’ve had.”

Hodgson was given a standing ovation before the game and even though Fulham suffered a rare home defeat, he was delighted to be in Europe.

A year ago, Hodgson guided Fulham to safety against all the odds but now, thanks to Tottenham’s defeat at Liverpool, the club can look forward to a place in the new Europa League next season.

Hodgson labelled their achievement as one of the finest moments of his career.

“As far as I’m concerned, the work these guys have done for me this year, not just the players, but all the staff around me, makes me really proud of it,” he said. “I will remember it as one of my very best years.

“I don’t like ranking achievements but this one will always be one of the finest moments. When I came to Fulham we looked doomed and a year-and-a-half later we are in seventh place and in Europe – and I do think that is an achievement.

“I don’t want to take credit for that. I am a cog in the wheel. I am a person who prepares the players but they deserve the credit. The fans pay to see the players not me.

“After a couple of days I shall look back on what has been a fantastic season for us. Now the hard work begins to make certain that we try and bolster our squad and start all over again on August 1. We can look back on season 2008/09 like and we can say it was a great season because we got into Europe.”

FULHAM (4-4-2): Schwarzer 6, Pantsil 6, Hughes 6 (Smalling 77, 5), Hangeland 5, Konchesky 6, Dempsey 6, Murphy 6, Etuhu 6, Gera 5 (Dacourt 73, 5), Nevland 4 (Zamora 68, 5), Kamara 6.

Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Gray, Stoor, Baird.

EVERTON (4-5-1): Howard 6, Hibbert 6, Yobo 7, Lescott 7, Baines 7, Neville 6 (Gosling 76, 5), Cahill 6, Rodwell 7, Pienaar 7 (Vaughan 86, 5), Osman 8, Saha 6 (Castillo 79, 5).

Subs Not Used: Nash, Jo, Jacobsen, Fellaini.

REFEREE: Mike Riley (Yorkshire) 5: Could have swarded a second-half penalty when Diomansy Kamara was fouled by Leighton Baines.

MATCH RATING: ** Fulham never turned up, a rare blemish in a superb season.