Andy Johnson may return to aid goal chase

Oct 4 2007 by Nick Smith, Liverpool Daily Post

ANDREW JOHNSON is easing his way back to being fit for Everton’s crucial UEFA Cup first round showdown in Ukraine tonight.

The striker is set to play some part against Metalist Kharkiv as Everton go chasing the away goal they need to rescue the tie, poised at 1-1 after the first leg at Goodison two weeks ago.

Johnson missed Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Middlesbrough with a groin strain. But he was back in training with the squad at the Metalist Stadium last night and manager David Moyes will wait until tonight’s kick-off (7.45pm) before making a final decision on his inclusion.

And despite Johnson missing from the spot twice in the first leg, Moyes insists he has no qualms about asking him to step up and take a penalty if the tie goes to a shoot-out – which can only happen if the game finishes 1-1 after 90 minutes then extra-time.

“Andrew Johnson scored that first penalty and the game changed then,” said Moyes.

“The second penalty he took that was saved was no worse than the first one, both had a degree of infringement.

“He was unlucky so I’d probably ask him to take another one, yes.”

Leon Osman also had a groin injury which kept him out of action at the weekend, but he also joined in last night’s training session.

Moyes, however, is likely to stick with the side that beat Middlesbrough on Sunday while hoping Johnson can at least make the bench as he attempts to load up on the firepower he might need to avoid failure to reach the group stages. And that’s a prospect captain Phil Neville is determined not to be facing as he calls on his team-mates to not let last season’s efforts in finishing in the top six go to waste.

“We don’t want to go out in the early stages after all the hard work we put in last year to get in Europe,” said the former Champions League winner. “It was the main reason I joined Everton in the first place. We were in the Champions League when I came here two years ago but it all ended very quickly.

“But my aim was to help Everton get back in Europe because it’s exciting and something extra special.”

The high point of Neville’s illustrious club career came in 1999 when he was part of the Manchester United squad that completed a unique treble of trophies when they beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final in Barcelona.

He also played his part in United reaching at least the quarter-finals in seven successive seasons between 1997 and 2003. So as someone bitten by the bug of big European nights, he knows the four extra games Everton will have in the UEFA Cup if they win tonight is a big incentive for the whole club.

But he has warned that Everton can’t get carried away by the fact that they have to score in the away leg and has pleaded for patience against a Kharkiv side who displayed how tough a proposition they were two weeks ago.

“We’ve got players with a lot of experience in Europe and we need to utilise that,” added Neville.

“But we have to realise that games are 90 minutes and not won in the first 10 minutes.

“Patience is the key – and going out to make sure we play better than we have been doing recently.”

Metalist’s attempts to keep the clean sheet that will guarantee their progress will be hampered by the loss of defenders Seweryn Gancarczyk and Olexandr Babych, who are both suspended after being dismissed at Goodison two weeks ago.