David Moyes believes Everton can still achieve a Champions League place next season and break the stranglehold of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.
Everton romped to their best win of the season on Sunday, a 4-0 home victory against Wigan Athletic, but they remain in sixth place in the Premier League table, seven points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
“The Champions League is still there for us, we are not going to give up,” Everton boss Moyes said. “Arsenal have got the points and are coming into form with players back from injury. We are not going to give up, but realistically it will be a tough call to catch them now.”
“It was a good performance, a good result and another clean sheet,” Moyes said. “I was pleased with much of what I saw. The hardest thing is to get your players going again after internationals, you never know how they are. They have all had a couple of games and a lot of travel, but they have every right to be tired. But the ones who have traveled the furthest, Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar, were excellent.”
Jo, on loan from Manchester City, opened the scoring in the 26th minute with a low shot after good work by Leon Osman.
Two goals early in the second-half settled the match. Tony Hibbert’s low cross found Marouane Fellaini, who was given time and space by Wigan’s defense, before scoring his seventh goal of the season. Minutes later, when Fellaini’s shot was palmed out by Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, Jo pounced from close range.
Kirkland’s failure to hold another shot, this time a 20m effort from Fellaini on the hour mark, allowed Osman to score Everton’s fourth.
Wigan manager Steve Bruce was still angry at the failure of Egyptian striker Amr Zaki to return from international duty. Bruce would not go as far as to say that Zaki’s time at the JJB Stadium was coming to an end, but he will want to discover exactly what is wrong with the 26 year-old who hit 11 goals for the club earlier in the season.
“I find it ridiculous that this club who have given him his chance in England — and pay him very well I might add — are not being treated properly,” Bruce said. “We are not being shown any respect.”
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