"I thought Tim played better in midweek against Hull then he had done," said the Goodison manager. "He’d done better. He needs that.

"He’s missing one of two of his buddies in the team who have helped him. He needs to realise now that it is up to him to drag everyone along as well and take on a different responsibility.

"Tim in the past has come up with really important goals. Not just in derbies, but against Chelsea, Man United. He has always been the one in big games, see what he does for Australia. He’s well aware that his form is not all that he should be performing at."

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Marouane Fellaini return from suspension tomorrow, but both Jack Rodwell and Louis Saha face late fitness tests on groin problems.

And of the derby, Moyes added: "You can smell it outside. You can smell the difference in the attitude. Anticipation. People getting ready to come to the game.

"I have been a supporter as well and gone to games. In our own way, we are all supporters of football somewhere along the line. We all know what we are talking about.

"Maybe sometimes some of the players could do with walking up to the ground a few times and seeing what it actually means to supporters. That can get taken away from them in the world we live in."