Louis Saha is key for Everton FC’s ambitions, says team-mate Sylvain Distin

Nov 10 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

SYLVAIN DISTIN believes Louis Saha will be the key to Everton’s season as the striker continues his best-ever start to a Premier League campaign.

Saha netted his seventh league goal of the season in sending David Moyes’s side on the way to a much-needed 2-1 win at West Ham United on Sunday.

It is the Frenchman’s highest top-flight total at this stage of the campaign since arriving in English football more than 10 years ago.

When Saha registered his overall best tally of 20 goals in 2003-04 – form that earned him a £12.8million move to Manchester United midway through the campaign – he had netted six times by the second week in November.

And with Saha playing through the pain of a calf strain, for Distin it underlines the effectiveness of the forward.

“You can see how important he is,” said the defender. “Every time he plays, he scores. It would be stupid to say we don’t need him.

“We need everybody but when you’ve got a player like Louis playing like he is now, even with an injury, it’s amazing.

“He does impress me. I’d like to keep him half-fit and scoring every game than fully fit and see what can happen.

“He’s a great player. You can see it every week. Every time he plays, he scores. It must be like one game, one goal. You can’t ask for more.”

Saha, who missed last Thursday’s Europa League defeat to Benfica, was eventually substituted 12 minutes into the second half at Upton Park.

But the 31-year-old is confident he will be available for the trip to former club United on Saturday week.

“The injury was tight,” said Saha. “At the start of the second half I felt crampy. I didn’t really know if I was going to play.

“But I was ready to work hard and give everything. It’s about concentrating on opportunities and obviously right now it’s working. And it’s an international break now so the injury will be fine when I get back.”

Everton’s victory on Sunday was their first in eight games, with Distin admitted confidence had started to become affected by the winless run.