IT IS a losing battle. The more David Moyes attempts to dampen expectations at Goodison, the more Everton make life difficult for their manager.

Eager to ease the burden of hope on his improving players, Moyes has been at pains to play down talk of a late charge for European qualification.

But surely this outstanding victory in inflicting a first home defeat of the season on Champions League-chasing Manchester City must force the Everton manager to reconsider his opinion.

Certainly, trying to contain the growing excitement among Evertonians will prove a futile task with the Premier League’s in-form team now only three points adrift of sixth place and a Europa League berth.

That it is neighbours Liverpool who occupy that position will act as further incentive to Moyes’s men during the final seven games of a season that still promises the tangible reward of a fourth successive European qualification.

The convincing manner of this deserved triumph over a City side harbouring genuine top-four aspirations will no doubt lead to the pondering of what might have been but for the travails of early season.

But never mind the laments of ‘what if’ that have cursed Everton for much of the campaign. Here, right now, thanks to a run of only two defeats in 17 Premier League games, is an opportunity for this squad to make their impressive winter revival worthwhile.

City must be sick of the sight of Tim Cahill. For the third time in six seasons, the Australian popped up to score in this fixture, his seventh goal of the campaign and, remarkably, the ninth goal in succession the Australian has scored with his head.

His winners in 2004 and 2008 were both vigorously celebrated – the former so much that Cahill was sent off – but this may prove an even more significant strike, the midfielder later paving the way for Mikel Arteta to seal victory with a brilliant team effort five minutes from time.

Cahill was the pick of an impressive bunch. Tim Howard resolute in goal. Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka unshakeable at the heart of defence. John Heitinga indomitable in central midfield. Steven Pienaar and Arteta industrious and intelligent. Louis Saha hard-working in attack.

Although having racked up a club record seventh successive home Premier League win with Saturday’s 2-0 defeat of Bolton Wanderers, Everton had won only one of the last nine top-flight games on their travels before last night.

Now this win can filed alongside those against Manchester United and Chelsea as a sign Moyes’s men are on the verge of making that final step to compete with the leading lights on a regular basis.

There was a needlessly messy end to proceedings when Moyes was unlucky to be sent to the stands along with City manager Roberto Mancini after the pair clashed on the touchline during injury time.

But how the Scot will have enjoyed this victory, Everton’s third in a row at Eastlands and one that secured a league double over City following the similar 2-0 home triumph in January.

The Goodison manager has always contended Joleon Lescott’s protracted, acrimonious departure in August contributed to his team’s poor start to the campaign, and he couldn’t resist further stoking the antagonism between the teams before the game by questioning whether City’s players had the passion to play for their club.