David Moyes has challenged Everton to target European qualification after a 2-1 win at Fulham. Goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and a Bernd Leno own goal secured the points. Moyes insists the Toffees should shed their "relegation avoidance" tag and embrace a positive push for the top half.
David Moyes has challenged Everton to move past their recent struggles with relegation and set their sights on securing a spot in European competition. Following a resilient 2-1 comeback victory against Fulham at Craven Cottage, the team is now 14 points clear of the drop zone, marking a significant shift in ambition for a club that has not participated in continental football in nearly a decade.
While the match began with an early own goal by Vitaliy Mykolenko, Everton displayed character to dominate the second period.
A 75th-minute equalizer from James Garner, followed by a decisive late corner forced by a blunder from Bernd Leno, secured the win. Watching from the sidelines due to a touchline ban, Moyes expressed his desire for the club to move past the negativity of recent seasons. He emphasized that he would prefer to be viewed as overly optimistic than to settle for mere survival, urging his squad to embrace the pressure of competing for a European spot.
Additionally, Moyes voiced frustration regarding the inconsistency of officiating. He compared his own touchline ban for celebrating on the pitch at Brighton to what he perceives as a lack of punishment for similar outbursts by rival coaching staff. Despite these off-field frustrations and distractions, Everton remains focused on the final months of the campaign, with their sights firmly set on European qualification.
