Energy levels are back up at Everton says Phil Neville

May 1 2008 by Chris Beesley, Liverpool Daily Post

Phil Neville

EVERTON captain Phil Neville believes that his side are returning to form just in time to save their quest for Europe.

David Moyes’s side enjoyed an impressive run in the UEFA Cup this season, winning eight of their 10 matches and having occupied a place in the top five for the majority of the campaign – even running neighbours Liverpool close for a Champions League berth for several weeks – they looked comfortable for continental qualification again next term.

However, since their UEFA Cup exit at the hands of Fiorentina, Everton have won just one of their seven Premier League matches – an unconvincing 1-0 victory over already-relegated Derby County at Goodison Park – a run which has seen their lead over the chasing pack for Europe seriously eroded.

If they had lost at home to nearest challeng-ers Aston Villa on Sunday, Everton would have relinquished fifth place and would no longer have been automatic qualifiers for next season’s UEFA Cup competition but following a 2-2 draw with Martin O’Neill’s side, Neville believes that his team-mates are finally returning to form in the nick of time.

He said: “I think you could see the energy coming back (on Sunday). Osman, Pienaar, Fernandes, Arteta in the second half all played with energy. Yakubu looked like he was getting back to his best and AJ (Andrew Johnson) always gives you that energy anyway.

“There was energy from our front players, which we have not had in the last month. In terms of the Fiorentina result it was the manner we got beat. If Fiorentina had come here and beat us two or three nil, we could have accepted that but to go out on penalties when we were by far the best team so it probably hit us harder than we thought.”

With no Everton striker scoring over the past five games and both goals against Villa coming from defenders – Joseph Yobo and Neville himself, the skipper revealed that he had been urging his team-mates, especially those who have not been netting regularly, to get themselves on the scoresheet.

He told evertonTV: “The last two or three weeks I have been on at everybody, it is not just up to Joleon Lescott, Yakubu, Andy Johnson and Leon Osman to score.

“It is up to people like me, Lee Carsley, Joseph Yobo and Phil Jagielka. I have been really disappointed with my finishing this season. I have been getting into some good positions and not been hitting the target and it is not acceptable.

“If a striker was doing that then he would be getting a good rollicking from the manager well I expect high standards from myself so it was nice to notch one. It was a pity it was not the goal that got us the three points.”