DAVID MOYES is confident he and his Everton players have learned from previous failures as they prepare to resume their European adventure this evening.

The Goodison outfit entertain Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of their Europa League round of 32 tie on a high after their defeat of Premier League leaders Chelsea last week.

After a lengthy group stage, the competition now reverts to a straight knockout all the way to the final at Hamburg in May.

And Moyes believes his team have acquired the knack of producing in two-legged encounters, with a clean sheet the priority to take into the return in Portugal on Thursday week.

“I think we need to be more patient,” said the Everton manager. “It is to be played over three hours of football and that means it can’t be won right away so you have to make sure you are careful and do the right things. When you play these first legs at home, you have to be concerned that the opposition don’t score a goal. I think I’ve probably changed in that way and people might not want to hear that, but the fact is you have to try and not go behind if you can.

“Scoring a goal in a European tie away from home can be really vital so that is something you have to consider. But I hope the experience I am gaining and the club is gaining will help us all.”

Everton have won only four of the previous 12 European ties in which they have been drawn at home in the first leg.

Among those exits were the Champions League elimination in 2005 to Villarreal and the defeat to Standard Liege in the UEFA Cup last season. Moyes added: “As far back as the Villarreal game when we lost 2-1 at home, we have to understand that you can’t go into these games and think ‘we have to have a go and try and win the game’. I would rather have been at home for the second leg but nevertheless we will come out at Goodison happy with how we performed in the last game so I’m hoping to take that into the game.”