David Moyes could lead Everton back into Europe if his side can finish the season strongly.placeholder image
David Moyes could lead Everton back into Europe if his side can finish the season strongly. | AFP via Getty Images
A former Everton striker believes Everton should qualify for Europe this season - but that the move to the Hill Dickson Stadium has made that harder.
A former Everton star has explained why the Toffees “should be pushing for Europe” under David Moyes this season in an exclusive interview – but also suggested that the move to their new stadium has made that more difficult.
Former forward Tony Cottee, who scored 99 goals in 241 appearances for the club between 1988 and 1994, believes that Moyes has the ability to bring continental football back to the blue half of Merseyside for the first time in nearly a decade – with the club currently sat in eighth place in the Premier League table with nine matches remaining.
Why Everton ‘should be pushing for Europe’ – according to former star
Cottee, speaking exclusively to 3 Added Minutes via the home of football betting, suggested that Everton could make it back into Europe for the first time since the 2017/18 season – and use that as a platform for future success.
“Should they be challenging for Europe? I think they should,” he said. “I think they've got some excellent players, they've got a wonderful manager, I'm a massive fan of David Moyes.
“He's done a great job at my club, West Ham, and obviously he's gone back to Everton now, obviously my second team. I'm so pleased that he went there and he's doing such a great job. But, yeah, they should be pushing for Europe.”
Cottee, who also played for the Hammers and Leicester City over a superb career which lasted for nearly 20 years, believes that the club are in a fine position to achieve that goal this season.
“They’re in eighth position, they're only a point behind Brentford in seventh. For Everton Football Club, it's been a long time. They need to get back to winning trophies and they need to get into Europe.
“I think that's where you can build from. David Moyes has done it with West Ham and I think he can do it with Everton. Let's hope that they can get the results that take them back into Europe.”
Why new stadium has made Everton’s task ‘difficult’
Cottee, who played for Everton in the 1989 FA Cup final, added that the move to the brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium may have made life harder for Moyes’ side this season – but that offering the fans European competition might help to turn it into a true home.
“It's been very, very difficult just to get the results because it's a new experience for everyone,” he said. “It takes time. They've had some good results and they've had some not so good results. It's hard in a new stadium.
“If they can get the European football that the club deserves and the fans deserve, then that stadium will be even noisier than what it's already been this season.”
Everton last played in continental competition in 2017, when they were knocked out of the Europa League at the group stage after winning just one of their six games – but have now won their last two matches and stand a real chance of reaching Europe.
Everton are currently one point behind Brentford in seventh and five behind Liverpool and Chelsea further ahead of them in the table, but face a challenging run-in as the Premier League season draws to a close, with league leaders Arsenal and Chelsea their next two opponents.