LOUIS SAHA is ready to set himself some tough targets in order to repay the faith Everton have shown in him.
The striker scored two goals in the last five minutes to give Everton a 3-1 win at West Ham United on Saturday, their third Premier League victory in succession.
He also set up the goal that started Everton’s remarkable late comeback by crossing for Joleon Lescott to head the equaliser after they had trailed to Jack Collison’s goal up until the 82nd minute.
It all came a week after Saha struck his first goal for Everton as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Fulham at Goodison Park, meaning he has scored three times in two games.
But after a long spell on the sidelines during the end of his time at Manchester United and early days with Everton, the Frenchman is insisting that he is still working hard to get back to top form.
Saha originally offered to forego his wages when he joined Everton until he proved he could get back to full match fitness – and even during his current scoring burst he still feels that only a 20-goal haul will justify the chance manager David Moyes has taken on him.
“It would be nice to get 20 goals – that is a good target,” admitted Saha. “I have been really hard on myself in scoring goals and if I am on the pitch, hopefully I can do that.
“I am feeling pretty happy but as a team, we are trying to play better and it was great to come back.
“West Ham played well but it was a brilliant win – I do feel the young players here show maturity and I am pleased with them.”
Saha could have followed his former Fulham strike partner Luis Boa Morte to West Ham in the summer when it became clear he was no longer part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s plans at Old Trafford.
But he has no regrets about refusing a return to London to stay in the north west and feels that decision will be vindicated by Everton’s resurgence.
Since losing to Arsenal last month, they have taken 10 points from 12 to boost their chances of matching last season’s fifth-placed finish and Saha said: “The move to West Ham didn’t happen but I made a great choice, which is the main thing.
“I have no regrets at all. It was such a hard time in the summer to leave a great club but I am in a great team and I am enjoying myself.
“It is hard to predict how we will do but I hope to be very close to the top four. I think we have the team and we are now playing better.”
Saha also feels that his form won’t affect Yakubu’s place in the team. Last season’s top scorer had gone nine games without a goal before he was ruled out of Saturday’s game with a heel injury but Saha is confident they can flourish as a strike duo.
“I do think me and Yakubu will be a good partnership,” he added. “I am confident about it. He is injured right now, but when he comes back, he will score goals.”
As well as Yakubu, Steven Pienaar was also ruled out on Saturday with a knee injury and Marouane Fellaini was serving a one-game suspension for receiving five yellow cards.
Moyes revealed that Mikel Arteta had played the whole game despite being ill before the match and Tim Cahill struggled throughout the 90 minutes with a foot injury.
“We got a result we didn’t look like getting,” said Moyes.
“Mikel was terribly ill before the game but we wanted to keep him on because he can create a goal.
“Tim is struggling with an injury to the sole of a foot and at one point he was hobbling. But again I kept him on. We were resilient and stuck at and were looking for something to happen.
“Joleon’s goal gave us that but West Ham played very well in the first-half. But in this game you have to take your chances when you get them.”
Everton’s victory keeps them in seventh place.
