Injuries threaten to mar Everton's Euro return

Sep 20 2007 Christopher Beesley Liverpool Daily Post

DAVID MOYES is sweating on a potential injury crisis ahead of Everton’s return to European competition at Goodison Park tonight.

Mikel Arteta, Andrew Johnson, Steven Pienaar and Tim Howard all face late fitness tests as Ukrainian unknowns Metalist Kharkiv provide the opposition for the UEFA Cup first round first leg tie.

German Stefan Wessels is poised to continue in goal deputising for Howard, who is a major doubt having already missed Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat against Manchester United due to a dislocated finger.

But Moyes remained tight- lipped over the exact nature of Johnson, Arteta and Pienaar’s problems.

“They’ve all got injuries so we’ll have a look at them tomorrow,” said the Everton manager yesterday. “I’m not going into details but they’re all doubts for tomorrow night’s game.”

Although Everton hope to be buoyed by a bumper Goodison Park crowd, Moyes admits that supporters may have to be patient as they tackle a side that finished third in their domestic league last season.

“I think that patience will be required,” he said. “You’re always anxious to get a goal and go in front but on the same breath we’ve got to make sure we get a lead to take to the Ukraine.

“It’s a different type of game. We’re at home and I think they’ll come and sit back and allow us to come on to them. Because of that we will have to dictate the tempo and the pace of the game.”

There are still a number of tickets available for tonight’s game, priced at £18 for adults and £8 for concessions, and will be on sale at the Goodison Park Box Office until 6pm this evening.

Defender Joseph Yobo believes the Everton supporters will have a part to play, and said: “The fans are fantastic.

“They have always been behind the team whenever we are playing.

“They were very supportive last season and we achieved the European place all together – not just the players, not just the manager – it was the fans as well that played a big role in it.

“I think we will all enjoy the night and we need to make sure everyone leaves the stadium happy.”

With a lack of progress in cup competitions remaining Moyes’s big frustration during his tenure at Goodison Park, the manager admits he is determined to have a good run in Europe this season, especially after the frustration of Everton’s short-lived European campaign two years ago.

“I think we do need to make that next step and have a good run in Europe,” he said.

“We worked really hard last season to get into either the UEFA Cup or the Champions League so we want to make sure we have a go at it.

“I’m hoping we get through as we’ll all gain experience and will get better from it. We need to put the hoodoo of the Bucharest game away more than Villarreal as that one was a different game which was close over the two legs.

“All we can do is try and prepare the players and keep them as fresh as we can. At this stage of the season it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. I think the issue is if we get through it can become a problem but at the moment I’m hoping it shouldn’t make too much difference to us now.

“If we get through to the group stage then I can talk about fixture congestion.

“I hope I’m talking about us getting picked on because it will mean we’ve qualified but the Premier League has got to be our main objective. I must say I’d like a cup run, more than one cup run.”