PHIL NEVILLE is urging positivity in the Everton ranks – as they face their most daunting set of fixtures of an already troubled season.

Everton face Arsenal at the Emirates after the international break a week on Saturday before champions Manchester United go to Goodison, where the home side have only picked up one point in the first four games of the campaign.

That came in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle, which Neville missed through injury, but he is set to be back to full fitness when Everton go to Arsenal searching for their first win in seven games. But the captain insists that turning results around against two of the established Champions League quartet could finally give the season the confidence boost it badly needs.

“It doesn’t get any easier, but I’m a really positive person,” said Neville. “There’s no better games in which to turn your season round – and we need to turn our season round.

“We’re showing glimpses now that there’s some kind of form coming back. We’ve got players back now fit.”

Neville is desperate for the team to improve results in order to make European qualification a realistic possibility for a third successive season.

“Without a doubt we can still qualify for Europe,” said Neville.

“If we don’t, as players we need to take a long, hard look at ourselves.