David Moyes bemoans a moment of madness

Dec 24 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

UPBEAT David Moyes admitted “a moment of madness” cost Everton a point at Old Trafford yesterday - but insisted his team were moving closer to challenging the Premier League’s top four.

The Goodison outfit were within two minutes of a richly-deserved point against Manchester United when Steven Pienaar flicked out a leg to upend Ryan Giggs and gift the home side a penalty that was converted by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Pienaar had earlier provided the cross for Tim Cahill to head Everton’s 27th-minute equaliser after Ronaldo blasted United into the lead four minutes earlier.

The heartbreaking defeat ended Everton’s proud 13-game unbeaten run and keeps them in sixth place, four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

But Moyes refused to be downcast, and said: “I don’t need to pick the players up after this defeat. I don’t feel as though we have lost today, I felt as though we did well enough to get something out of the game.

“I thought we played well. The players showed we have a lot of confidence. There’s no way you will come to United and dominate possession, you have to be patient and wait for your moments and defend well and we did that.

“We worked really hard to get something, but in the end, it didn’t go for us. We have to praise the players.

“I think Everton are getting closer. The next step is to beat the top-four teams. Today we have shown we are showing signs, and for most of the game we were well in it.”

Of Pienaar’s unwise challenge, Moyes added: “I told him what I felt. It was a moment of madness, a poor decision, but if I say that I have to also say how well he played and how well he has played for us for the last two months.

“He has been excellent in his play and the penalty is just one of these moments that at the time you think ‘that can’t really happen’. The fact it was a penalty and it was late on means it hurts more.”

With injury and illness beginning to bite into Everton’s squad, Moyes selected an attacking line-up with Andrew Johnson partnering Yakubu up front.

“We wanted to try and get at United,” said the Goodison manager. “We started well, and they scored their first goal when I thought we were the better team at the time, but we got our reward with the equaliser.

“We have been to Chelsea and got a point this season, and we have played United twice and only been beaten in the last few minutes.

“But you have to give United credit, they keep going, are a great side that cause you loads of problems and have a resilience about them.

“United have players who are soloists, and they are the type of players that win games. Tevez, Rooney, Ronaldo, at the moment they can be soloists and do things that other players cannot do.”

Mikel Arteta missed yesterday’s game with a stomach bug, meaning skipper Phil Neville filled the right midfield berth.

And Moyes added: “We were short today in midfield, at least one wide player, so we had to juggle things. Even though we moved things around, we did very well.

“Both Yobo and Jagielka did exceptionally well at centre-back. Joleon Lescott is a terrific centre-half but we are having to play him left-back.

“But as a squad, we are getting strong in attack and defence. We have strikers who can score goals, and Tim Cahill keeps chipping in from midfield. Hopefully we can keep on competing in as many competitions as we can.”

A feisty North West derby saw six players booked – four in the first 13 minutes alone – and Moyes was critical of referee Howard Webb.

“Football has to have tackling in it, it’s part of the sport,” he said. “Every tackle cannot be a yellow card.”

Ronaldo was the only member of United’s first-team squad to miss Monday’s ill-advised players’ party. Instead, the 22-year-old was picking up third prize in the FIFA world player of the year awards in Zurich.

And the former Sporting Lisbon star showed why he is rated so highly with a sensational opener as he collected Carlos Tevez’s square pass, stepped inside Lee Carsley, then thrashed the ball home from 20 yards with his left foot.

“It is very difficult to say how you stop Ronaldo,” said Moyes.

“In general play we did quite well but he just has these moments. You always think you can do better, that you can get closer and tighter.

“But sometimes, when you are tight, he is good enough to get away. They have people who are nerveless and can win you games.”

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson went even further: “The boy has got everything. We are expecting goals from him all the time and I don’t think he ever made a mistake today. He was absolutely perfect, a marvellous performance by him.”

After an equally determined success over Tottenham, Arsenal ensured United could not really afford to drop points at the start of the festive programme.

“You do worry because time was running out but my experience is to never give up on this team because they have scored so many important goals late on,” said Ferguson.

“Thankfully we got the penalty. The temperament and confidence Cristiano has shown since he was a kid surfaces at times like that.

“He composed himself and took the spot-kick very well.”