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| Moyes’ past could haunt United Posted: 04 Dec 2013 12:45 AM PST
It’s only just over six months ago that Moyes left Everton after a decade at Goodison Park to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, with Roberto Martinez picking up Moyes’ baton on Merseyside, as both clubs began a new chapter in their history.
However, while the former Wigan manager has got his Everton career off to a flier and his team arrive at Old Trafford on the back of a 4-0 thumping of Stoke, which pushed the Toffees on the verge of a Champions League spot, consecutive draws against Cardiff and Spurs have seen United drop to eight on the table, two points behind the Toffees. In recent seasons, United have struggled against Everton, with their midfield coming unstuck against the physical challenge posed by Marouane Fellaini who, ironically, since joining United has displayed none of the characteristics that had made him such a formidable opponent in his Everton days. The Belgian could be involved against his former club given that Phil Jones is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season on Sunday, while it’d be interesting to see whether Tom Cleverley will retain his spot in the starting XI after yet another insipid performance or whether Ryan Giggs will be given the nod in midfield. After arriving on Merseyside, Martinez has quickly developed Everton into a side that places bigger emphasis on passing the ball around than they did under Moyes, as Gareth Barry, Ross Barkley and Steven Pienaar have formed a solid unit in midfield, creating chances and protecting the back four admirably - Everton have allowed fewer shots on target against them away from home than any other team in the top flight this season. However, for all their midfield improvements, Everton’s biggest threat is to be found up-front where Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas have been in inspired form this season. The Chelsea loanee – one of the only players to ever score a Premier League hat-trick against Manchester United – is likely to provide a tough test for the United back four, where Jonny Evans is expected to retain his starting spot alongside either Nemanja Vidic or Rio Ferdinand. United, however, will go into tonight’s clash buoyed by their recent unbeaten run and by the possible return of Robin Van Persie, who has been described as a possible inclusion by David Moyes yesterday. The Dutchman has scored six times in 10 league starts against Everton, while the Toffees are United favourite target in the Premier League, as the Reds have scored 84 times against them, more than any team against any single opponent in Premier League history. The visitors have lost 16 and drawn four of their last 20 visits at Old Trafford but if David Moyes wants to keep that record going and inflict misery on his former club, United must improve on the showings at Cardiff and Spurs and be bolder going forward and more solid defensively. Anything less than three points and any hopes of retaining the title will be all but gone. |
| Posted: 04 Dec 2013 12:05 AM PST
Having spent 11 years at Goodison Park, Moyes developed Everton into a top-eight side but never managed to win a trophy and knows he could be targeted by the Everton supporters tonight.
"I wouldn't be surprised by football supporters, but I think Everton supporters know and are well aware of what was done,” Moyes told the Mirror. "The Premier League has been going just over 20 years, and they had a top-10 finish maybe once in that first 10-year period. "In the second 10-year period, we finished in the top 10 on a regular basis. "So I think if someone really looked at it, they would understand and hopefully realise I helped push the club in the right direction. "I had a great rapport with the fans at Everton, but things wouldn't surprise me – I've got to do a job for Manchester United, while Everton supporters have to support their team, which they've always done." The United manager did not renew his contract at Everton, which meant his former club did not receive any compensation once Moyes moved to Old Trafford to replace Sir Alex Ferguson last summer. "I don't think there was any animosity built up from that, because I agreed a deal a month before the end of last season," said Moyes. "That was a decision taken by Manchester United. "I had a contract and was deciding what my future was going to be at Everton and how we were going to go forward at Everton. "In the meantime, four or five weeks before the end of the season, I got a call from Sir Alex. If I hadn't received that call, I'm sure I'd still be working with Bill Kenwright as manager of Everton. "That's possible. It didn't happen. For different reasons, it didn't happen that way." With Everton fifth and United eight on the table, Moyes knows the pressure is on his side to deliver, particularly as he admitted United are in danger of falling further behind in the title race. "We've got to make sure we keep ourselves close enough to be competing,” said Moyes. "We got ourselves in a really good position after the Arsenal game, when we won at home, and we then went to Cardiff and looked like we were going to win but didn't. That's where we slipped up, because I thought drawing at Tottenham was a pretty good point. "I couldn't put my finger on it, but when you look at the amount of games we've played, we've found that maybe we haven't been quite as good in some. I could pick the two or three out where we have been a bit disappointing, but there have been signs we've been getting better. "We've gone 12 or 13 games unbeaten, and we want to keep that going. We know [we can win the title] if we're on the coat-tails of the leaders going into the New Year. "It's never been a situation where United have ever been too far away. They're always in a similar position and we've got to make sure we're in there – that's why every game at the moment is really important for us." The former Everton manager is adamant he won’t let feelings for his former club get in the way tonight, as he’s well aware of the importance of tonight’s game and that United must win to keep in touch with the teams ahead of them. "It's about getting three points to try and make sure we're in a good position in the league," said Moyes. "We have to try and keep hanging in there. "We've two home games now and we have to try and make the most of them. We want to be in the mix and we don't want to be too far away from the teams at the top.” Marouane Fellaini could also be facing his former club, given Phil Jones is suspended, and Moyes insisted that while the Belgian might not have had the best of starts, he remains a talented player and the club has faith in him. "He's not had the best of starts, but this is a difficult club to join and settle in right away," said the United manager. "It's a new manager as well, so from that point of view, he can take time to settle in. But he's a good player and has been for a few years at this level, and I have no doubt he'll go on to prove it with this club." |
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