Moyes wants focus to be on team rather than financial woes

EVERTON boss David Moyes hopes his team will soon become the only reason people are talking about his football club.

The club’s inability to spend big money on players over the past year and their recently-published accounts have led to speculation about the club’s financial position.

That is not an issue Moyes wants to dwell on and he believes his players can change perceptions if they build momentum in the closing months of the season.

Everton claimed a memorable victory at Chelsea in an FA Cup fourth-round replay earlier this month and followed that with a win over Sunderland which lifted them to 10th in the Barclays Premier League.

Moyes now wants to build on those results, starting with the visit of Championship Reading in the fifth round of the cup tonight.

The long-serving Scot said: “It is about changing the perception of the club from the way it is getting perceived at the moment.

“Because the club’s accounts came out, there was a lot of bad news.

“I always thought the team could make a difference.

“If we win games, move up the league, hopefully we can get people talking about the football more than anything else to do with the club.’’

Moyes has a number of injury concerns for the tie but striker Louis Saha should be in contention after walking away unscathed from a car crash on Sunday night.

The Frenchman lost control of his Ferrari 458 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and collided with a fence.

Referring to the player’s past problems with various injuries, Moyes joked: “Incredibly, he has no injuries from it!”

The only issue for Saha is whether he is still troubled by the hamstring injury which hindered his return to action after two games out against Sunderland on Saturday.

Midfielder Marouane Fellaini is a major doubt with an ankle problem while Tim Cahill, Jermaine Beckford and Victor Anichebe will also face fitness checks.

Moyes said: “We have got a few injuries and we are going to be short of one or two come the game, but I’ll keep it to myself for now.”

Reading manager Brian McDermott has promised to send his side out to attack Everton.

McDermott said: “It’s a great game, it’s exactly what we want. We are trying to get into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the second year in a row and are playing against a team steeped in history with a great manager and good players.

“We are looking forward to having a real go and trying to get through.

“But we’ll only enjoy it if we win and get through. Getting results is the only way to enjoy a game.”

Central to the Royals’ chances is Republic of Ireland striker Shane Long.

Long scored the winner against Liverpool 12 months ago but has really come into his own this season, scoring 17 goals, including a goal in each round of the FA Cup so far.

He will be partnered by Noel Hunt in an attacking formation but it is at the other end where McDermott’s preparations have been hit.

Goalkeeper Adam Federici is out with a knee injury while captain Ivar Ingimarsson is set to miss out with a groin problem.

Alex Pearce remains sidelined with his thigh strain, so former Blackburn man Zurab Khizanishvili is set to start.

Right-back Andy Griffin missed out at the weekend with an Achilles injury, meaning Shaun Cummings will deputise once more.