David Moyes knows Everton face a tough challenge to qualify for Europe but thinks the club would benefit even with the extra pressure it would place on the team
David Moyes makes notes during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium. Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
David Moyes makes notes during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium. Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
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David Moyes believes qualification for Europe would benefit Everton despite the pressure it would be put on his squad.
The Blues boss has targeted midweek football on the continent since he returned to Merseyside in January 2025, initially leading the club away from a relegation battle. Even as the focus was on the bottom of the Premier League table he repeatedly spoke of a brighter future, boosting morale at a club beset by crises over previous seasons.
Eighteen months later there is stability at Everton, created in part by Moyes. And while a squad in transition could buckle under the stress of a campaign in Europe, the Scot believes the wider benefits would lift the club and its supporters.
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Everton entered the weekend outside the qualification spots but within striking distance of eighth, which could yet lead to a place in the Europa Conference League. Four games without a win - including the hammer blow of Manchester City’s stoppage time equaliser on Monday - have dented Everton’s hopes but they still have a chance with three games to go.
Should they qualify, balancing a Premier League and European campaign would be far from easy but it is something he has recent experience in having led West Ham United to three successive seasons in Europe, one of which ended in Conference League glory.
His belief is the enjoyment of the campaign and the lift it can bring to a club and its fanbase, particularly one that has not been involved in Europe for a long time, can outweigh the challenges.
Speaking ahead of a trip to Crystal Palace - who reached the Conference League final on Thursday after overcoming Shakhtar Donetsk - Moyes said: “Crystal Palace are probably saying ‘this is fantastic’, but in the same breath will still be saying, ‘we've had to play 60 games this year’.
“That's what we found at West Ham, that playing the amount of games was such a drain. But we weren't saying that once we got there [to the final], we won it, and what it meant, and that got us qualified for the Europa League the next season.
“So I think all the teams would like the opportunity and I think, as well, you've got a little bit for your supporters to try and give them opportunities. I think it's much easier to travel around the world now than it's ever been before. It is quite easy to fly and I think supporters like that chance to visit different countries and different stadiums, which they've maybe not been at, unfortunately, for a long time.”
Moyes said he was yet to discuss the summer transfer strategy in detail but his expectation is for a window in which the club adds further depth and quality - something that would help should the club face a busier schedule next season.
That would be necessary because, he said, it is not just the additional games that can help Europe undermine a domestic season but also the travel and the impact the midweek matches have on preparation for the league: “Crystal Palace might look at that and say the reason why they've not had as good a year in the Premier League is because of the amount of European football. They have had to return back late on Thursday, middle of the night, sometimes Friday, and then they have only got one day to be ready then for a Premier League game - I don't think a lot of people understand the amount of preparation and what goes into getting ready for a Premier League game.”