Premiership: Alexandersson wants relegation battle settled

Swedish ace Niclas Alexandersson, who will be facing England in the World Cup finals, wants Everton’s Barclaycard Premiership future sorted out now.

The winger does not want Everton’s continued fight to stay up to turn the end of the season into a major crisis.

If Everton can win at Southampton, and Ipswich are beaten at Arsenal the following day, then the Merseysiders will be mathematically safe.

Alexandersson said: ‘‘It would be nice to have our Premiership future sorted out, a win now and defeat for Ipswich would settle things and give us all a lift.

‘‘Things didn’t look too good a few weeks back, but the few wins we have achieved has put us in a better position. We know there is still work to be done.

‘‘It can be dangerous to start thinking we are already safe, until we are mathematically safe we dare not think that way.

‘‘We do not want to be going into the last couple of games still with doubts.

‘‘We don’t want the kind of pressure we would be under if we had to go to Arsenal on the last day still uncertain about out future.

‘‘Everyone wants our future sorted out a long way before that.’’

Alexandersson, who played for his country in midweek against Norway in their World Cup build-up and faces a group clash with England in Japan, believes his own form has started to improve just at the right time.

He said: ‘‘My form has improved too over the last couple of weeks. I had a poor spell before that where I could not find any form. For a few months I looked tired and short of confidence.

‘‘But all that seems to have changed, my confidence is certainly back and we are playing better as a team and going forward with more players now.

‘‘You can find more targets in the box now when I cross the ball.

‘‘Hopefully I can continue to improve in the last few games. It’s my job to supply the crosses and passes for people to score, that hadn’t been happening.

‘‘Everyone knows what the World Cup will mean to players so it’s an extra target.

‘‘These last few games help you prepare yourself for the finals, to make sure you stay in the international squad and hopefully make the starting line-up.’’

Alexandersson knows he has to stay focused in order to achieve his aim of extending his season in the Far East.

‘‘It’s a great incentive to keep your form and your fitness up, and then go to the finals at your peak.’’

Everton have had to take youth team keeper Andy Pettinger with them to Southampton as cover because of a hip injury Steve Simonsen received in a reserve match on Thursday.

Boss David Moyes will also be able to call on striker Kevin Campbell for the first time since he took over five weeks ago as Campbell is back from injury.

Moyes said: ‘‘Relegation has been hanging over us since my first day here, so this weekend we hope to rid ourselves of that position.

‘‘The team is regaining its confidence, they have shown character and a determination to improve and it has made my job easier.

‘‘We haven’t been able to rest, every game is important and we have to get rid of this feeling at Goodison that your job was done once you were safe from relegation.

‘‘We have to want to finish higher, but our first job is to be safe.

‘‘We are much closer to it but mathematically it is still possible to go down. We must put that behind us.’’