Moyes's men have been taking their chances

Oct 26 2004 By Mark Lawrenson, Daily Post

IF YOU had rewound Saturday's game at Norwich to 12 months ago, Everton would have lost that match 3-2 instead of winning it by the same margin.

The fact they had the grit and fighting spirit to resist a spirited comeback speaks volumes of the change David Moyes has brought about since his team were thrashed at the City of Manchester Stadium in the summer.

Looking at Everton's performance however, and the ability to battle was augmented by a slick and incisive style of play that led to three excellent goals.

In particular I enjoyed Kevin Kilbane's opener because Everton had been defending but broke forward with some clever passing and movement that made the finish a formality.

Marcus Bent's goal was also a good one to watch and the finish will have done him the world of good, given his recent difficulties in finding the back of the net.

A few weeks ago, I said that Everton had the chance to really make their mark because they had a run of winnable games coming up. Looking at them now, they have taken that chance and stockpiled plenty of points.

That safeguards them should they have a poor run of reuslts - they won't fall down the table as they have climbed it.

But as well as they have done, I am sure David Moyes will be driving them on to greater efforts because he realises the team must gain as great a reward as they can out of this spell.

There will be no letting up in training or on the pitch, because all it would take is for a few players to think they had it made, and the rot would set in.

While I don't think Everton will stay in the top three throughout the season - top six is more likely - the table makes pleasant reading at the moment.

Seeing Merseyside so strongly represented at the top is great for the city and great for the Premiership.