Everton have a genuine chance to secure European football come the end of the season.
Most fans did not really expect the Toffees to be in this position, but Everton have produced enough solid, if unspectacular, performances to be in contention.
At the moment, Everton sit eighth in the Premier League table.
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A custom graphic showing an Everton lineup to face Bournemouth.
Credit: GRV Media
Another win against Bournemouth on Tuesday night will move the Toffees up to sixth, albeit temporarily.
It is going to be a tough ask, but Everton do have a talented squad, and a highly experienced manager who has been here before.
Potentially, improving the form at the Hill Dickinson Stadium will be crucial.
But ahead of facing Bournemouth, Moyes suggested Everton will need to do something else to secure European football.
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Everton manager David Moyes folding his arms.
Photo by Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images
There are so many teams in the mix for European football right now, so Everton really will need to find some solid consistency in the coming weeks and months to stand a chance.
Avoiding injuries will also be important. Having as many as in the first half of the season would certainly make life difficult.
Moyes was asked in his press conference today about whether he saw any similarities between this season and 2004/05, when the club finished fourth.
He said (via Everton’s YouTube channel): “I’ve got some thoughts. I think that for us to do it, we’re probably going to have to win a couple of games which maybe would be unexpected to win, in the run-in. If we were going to do that.
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Everton manager David Moyes on Europe.
“So we’re going to have to be good, we’re going to have to win the games that we can do. The problem with the Premier League at the moment is more to do with the level of the teams you’re coming up against.
“Fulham were on a really good run before we went there on Saturday. Leeds recently have been on a good run, even Wolves. Sometimes you just get teams at different times in the season, it can play a part.”
Everton have a shock result in them
Everton have the capacity to beat teams they aren’t expected to.
We’ve seen it a few times this season. Most recently, Everton toppled Aston Villa at Villa Park, despite having many first-team players unavailable and Unai Emery’s side being red-hot.
The away win at Manchester United was also impressive. Especially as Idrissa Gana Gueye was sent off after 13 minutes in that game after a shocking tangle with his own teammate Michael Keane.
Thierno Barry scores against Aston Villa.
Photo by Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images
What will be vital for Everton is to remain relatively consistent in terms of the fixtures they’re expected to take points in. Picking up the home form will also be important.
If they can do that, and as Moyes suggests, spring a couple of surprises, then European football will be very possible.
The positive thing is that, generally speaking, Everton have been defensively solid, which offers a perfect foundation to build on.
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