Everton's Yakubu set 20-goal target

Mar 2 2008

David Moyes hopes Ayegbeni Yakubu’s goals will prove crucial in Everton’s bid to secure a top-four Barclays Premier League finish.

Nigerian international Yakubu was fined and dropped after returning back late to Merseyside from the African Nations Cup.

But four goals in the last two matches have taken the 25-year-old into double figures in the league and his overall tally to 16 for the season, and led to a challenge from Moyes to become the first striker at Goodison Park to hit 20 top-flight goals since Gary Lineker 22 years ago.

A home win for Everton over Yakubu’s former club Portsmouth today would further enhance their chances of bettering their sixth-placed finish of last year and keep them on course for the money-spinning fourth spot which guarantees a dart at the Champions League.

When Everton fell short of their target last season, Moyes was determined to buy a finisher and splashed out a record fee for the then Middlesbrough player.

“He has made a difference because he has added more goals to us,” Moyes said. “But importantly his play has improved since he has come here as well.

“He is enjoying his time, we need him and his goals have become a big factor.

“I always thought that anybody that comes to Everton, part and parcel of the job is that you have to fit into the work environment - from my point of view I think he has.

“Previously we relied heavily on Andy (Johnson) and on Tim Cahill for our goals.

“I knew when we brought him in if he scored the goals here he had at his other clubs that would add to our goal total come the end of the season. That has proved to be the case.”

A tendency to tail off at the end of seasons with Boro - he did not score after February 24 last term - clearly does not worry an upbeat Moyes.

“If he could get 20 league goals for us, that would be absolutely tremendous,” he said.

“Remember that he had been away for a month before he came back into the starting line-up and we hope the good form he has been showing continues.

“He is always looking to improve his tally, which every good forward should do, and hopefully he will get a few more for us.

“We were really pleased with him against Man City and we want him to continue like that.”

Joleon Lescott, Everton’s other goalscorer at Eastlands in the 2-0 win on Monday night which sent the Blues back into fourth spot, is also in a rich run of form in front of goal.

He has now scored half a dozen times in the Premier League this season, moving level with Aston Villa’s Martin Laursen as the most prolific defender in the division.

“I have not set him a target,” said Moyes. “But good centre-halves, I believe, can score 10 goals and hopefully by the end of the season Joleon will have done that.

“He has done very well for us both in defence and in attack.”

Everton’s outstanding start to 2008, in fact, has seen them concede just once in eight league encounters, a sequence which has reaped 20 points.

That despite the disruption of injuries, illness and international absence over the past couple of months.

Chopping and changing has not upset the rhythm, however, and further switches may be enforced by a bug which has swept through the Finch Farm training base.

Stephen Pienaar and Joseph Yobo have both been affected by sickness during matches over the past fortnight while other players have taken days off training.

Others’ availability may therefore dictate whether Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta is given another match off to rest his persistent groin injury.