Everton manager David Moyes is dreaming of European football as he prepares for the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
He remains determined to bridge the gulf in quality between his side and Liverpool. Moreover, Moyes aims to replicate his earlier success by toppling his fierce rivals.
In his first tenure at Everton, the club finished above Liverpool in two consecutive seasons. Back then, he delivered competitive performances that thrilled the fans. However, after his departure to Manchester United, the balance shifted once again. Consequently, his new target is to narrow the gap and restore Everton’s former competitiveness.
Moyes recalled his time at West Ham by saying, “At West Ham, we had to stay up, and in the first year I was asking, ‘how am I going to do this?’ Then the next year we ended up getting into Europe.” He added, “I don’t know if it is dreaming, but the idea is to have that as my goal.” Furthermore, he stressed that his ambition is to secure a European position if Everton remains safely in the Premier League.
Tonight’s fixture is extra special as it marks the last-ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park before the club moves to the docklands this summer. There is a clear gulf in quality between the two teams, a gap that is evident in their current league positions. Therefore, Moyes believes that bridging this gap in a single game is a monumental task, yet one that must be tackled head-on.
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Moyes is fully aware of the pressure that comes with leading Everton. He mentioned, “I don’t think Evertonians want me to kid them on or tell them any lies.” Clearly, the fans have endured some of the worst times in the club’s history. Over the course of 11 challenging years, they fought hard to become more competitive against Liverpool, and now they expect that spirit to return.
Year on year, the team grew more competitive under his previous stewardship. It took time to build that level of performance, and gradually, the gap between the two sides narrowed. Unfortunately, Moyes observed that the gulf has now widened once again, which intensifies the challenge ahead. Nevertheless, he remains committed to reversing this trend.
In addition, Arne Slot has praised Moyes ahead of his first Merseyside derby in his current role. Slot noted, “I can see the structure he had at West Ham and that he had before at United and before at Everton.” He also pointed out that Moyes has a clear idea of how he wants his team to play. This distinct identity is rare and marks a significant achievement for any manager.
Meanwhile, Liverpool face their own challenges as they make a late decision on the fitness of Trent Alexander-Arnold. He missed the last two games due to injury but has since returned to training. Moreover, while Joe Gomez will miss out, Curtis Jones is back in action after recovering from his stint of unavailability at Plymouth on Sunday.
