Anders Limpar believes Everton can push for Europe this season and highlights Jack Grealish's influence as being key to those ambitions
Jack Grealish looks on during the Premier League match between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Jack Grealish looks on during the Premier League match between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
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Anders Limpar believes Jack Grealish can do for Everton what Eric Cantona did for Manchester United. The Blues FA Cup winner sees the playmaker as integral to David Moyes’ plans and thinks he could be the catalyst for the side making strides up the Premier League table after years of relegation fights.
Limpar firmly believes a top half finish is within reach this campaign - including potential qualification for Europe. His assessment is based on the belief the side has started the season well despite so many new players joining over the summer and that Moyes is yet to have fielded his strongest XI given the injuries suffered by Jarrad Branthwaite.
The former Sweden international highlighted the roles of Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye as he said: "I think we will end up somewhere between fifth to 10th position this year and that would be tremendous.
The icing on the cake is Jack Grealish. He has been really good. And against City, Iliman Ndiaye looked so good too.
“Even against the toughest opponent you can have, Manchester City away, Ndiaye was so unbelievably good so if we can just have Grealish and Ndiaye playing we can have a good autumn and a good spring ahead of us.”
Grealish, who signed on a season-long loan deal from Man City, has enjoyed a positive start to the season at Everton. After winning the Premier League’s player of the month accolade in August, he enjoyed his standout moment on Merseyside so far when he scored the stoppage time winner in the comeback win over Crystal Palace at the start of the month.
Limpar said the addition of Grealish had the potential to help Everton capitalise on the stability provided by new owners and the rebuild that started over the summer and be more ambitious as a result.
Likening him to Cantona, who helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man Utd take the step from title contenders to perennial champions, he told online betting site Hajper: “Could Jack Grealish be Everton’s Eric Cantona? Yes. He can take him into European spots and definitely become a top five or top three team in the next three or four years, for sure.
“He is that player who we need. We're looking good now with Moyes and we haven't even played with our strengths yet with our best side.
“When we're playing with our best side, we are already a top six team in England. So give him a little bit more time to get the players back and for god's sake sign Grealish up straight away. He’s fit in so well.”