PHIL NEVILLE has backed a fit and focused, five-star strikeforce to help Everton start the season with a flourish – and help him get over the most sickening defeat of his career.

Though there were times in the most recent campaign when David Moyes had to go into games without a recognised centre-forward, the early signs are that the manager’s cup will be overflowing this time around.

Louis Saha, Jo and James Vaughan have, in their own way, all made encouraging starts to pre-season, with the first two named looking particularly sharp both on the training field and in the friendlies Everton have played.

With Ayegbeni Yakubu not far off being given the green light to play again for the first time since last November and his compatriot Victor Anichebe also made good progress from the knee injury that sidelined him in February, Moyes at last has attacking options.

But while that quintet could be exciting, the sight of them in full flow will also leaving Neville thinking what might have been; the FA Cup final loss to Chelsea, you see, still rankles and he is adamant the end result could and should have been different

“Jo and Louis could be two very exciting players for us this season,” said Everton’s captain after a rigorous session at the Seattle Sounders’ training base had finished last night. “But we have got five strikers and that is going to be a nice problem for the gaffer.

“It’s just a shame that they weren’t all fit at the end of last year; if Louis had been really on fire and training all the time, if James Vaughan had not missed so many matches and so much training and if we’d had Yak and Jo at Wembley, I‘m sure we’d have won.

“I beat myself up over it all summer; I’m not dreaming, I’m just looking at the facts. Yes, we were beaten by a better side on the day but they had everything go right for them in the run-up and fully fit squad. I just wish we would have had that too.”