SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2014 SPORTS Moyes set for tricky Everton LONDON: Manchester United manager David Moyes will be under the spotlight when he returns to Everton today for the first time since he left the club for Old Trafford at the end of last season. Moyes was in charge at Goodison Park for 11 years before leaving when his contract expired to replace Alex Ferguson, British football’s most successful manager, at United following his fel- low Scot’s retirement. While Moyes’s successor, Roberto Martinez, has guided the Everton to a challenge for a Champions League place, some- thing Moyes achieved in 2005, United have slipped into mid-table after winning the Premier League by 11 points last season. In the first meeting between the two teams this term, Bryan Oviedo scored the only goal late on to secure a 1-0 win for Everton at Old Trafford. The Toffees are currently nine points ahead of United but Moyes, who has said the match should not be about him in the build-up, maintains that catching his old club and gaining a Champions League spot is still possible. “We’ve said we’ll never give in (in terms of finishing in the top four) and we won’t until we Brendan Rodgers can’t do that. Obviously it’s nearly mathemati- cally impossible but we’re still trying to make it happen if we can,” Moyes said. “It’s a tough Rodgers only has game going to Goodison for any team at any time, as I should know, but we go there with a David Moyes good away record and will try to make that line-up after coming off the bench in the shock quality of the players,” the Spaniard added. eyes for Norwich work again. 3-2 defeat by Crystal Palace after a muscular “But the three points in this period for us as a “We’ll be tested against a team in good form injury. Everton’s Champions League chances fell football club are more important than any LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan in his last four appearances against this year and we will have to play very well.” out of their own hands with their loss to Palace aspect you can highlight in the fixture-and I Rodgers remains confident he will be able Norwich, including four in this season’s United striker Wayne Rooney is fit to face his for- in midweek and Martinez feels that the visit of think that speaks volumes of what an impres- to keep his players focused against reverse fixture at Anfield. mer club after recovering from a toe injury, United, with the emotion supplied by Moyes’s sive season it’s been so far. “I think the biggest Norwich City as they attempt to take “Luis is remarkable in his performance while Juan Mata is available again after being return and the importance of the three points, compliment we can pay to ourselves is that the another step towards the Premier League level,” Rodgers said. “I saw the three goals cup-tied for the 3-1 Champions League defeat makes today’s match his team’s most significant three points at this moment are more important title. that he scored at Carrow Road before I at Bayern Munich. of the campaign. than all the aspects that you can mention. The Reds are currently top of the table came in and he’s hit three and four in single Midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who followed “This game is probably our biggest of the “There are lots of interesting angles in this and know that if they win their remaining matches during my time here against Moyes from Everton in August, should be fit to season. We know how vital the three points are game but we’re going to concentrate on the four games they will be crowned English Norwich. face his old team but there are doubts over and that is our only concern,” said Martinez. fact that the only important thing today is champions for the first time since 1990. “But I take more solace in what we do as defenders Rafael and Jonny Evans. “Obviously, it’s glamorous to see the champi- how well we can perform over 90 minutes and With Manchester City drawing 2-2 a team. Luis has scored a large part of his For Everton, Republic of Ireland midfielder ons at Goodison and it’s great to welcome the how successful we can be at the end of the against Sunderland on Wednesday, the goals up there on his own. He enjoys that James McCarthy is likely to return to the starting figures that we’re going to welcome and the game.”—AFP sense of anticipation at Anfield has role and the freedom and the space that it increased even further, but Rodgers insists offers him. “Thankfully, we’ve got other his players are simply focused on Sunday’s players in the team who can score goals. match against strugglers Norwich at He’s been fantastic and he will continue to Carrow Road. be.” Ranieri and Monaco “We never look too far ahead-that’s key Meanwhile Norwich manager Neil in order to manage that expectancy,” said Adams believes his side, now just two Rodgers. “It doesn’t matter about Chelsea, points above the relegation zone, can pick Crystal Palace or Newcastle now-we have up points against all the odds. seek derby redemption to do the job against Norwich. “We focus The Canaries face a nightmare run-in on our performance level and that takes with their final four matches against our mind off a lot of the other external fac- Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and PARIS: Monaco host Nice in a Cote d’Azur derby “The criticism is to be expected. Everyone Monaco. tors and background noise that may come Arsenal. today looking to get back to winning ways in said we were the team that had to fight with The game is also important for Marseille, who across your way.” But Adams, whose first match in charge Ligue 1 after the blow of losing in the French Paris Saint-Germain. But you (the media) know are sixth but can move level on points with Lyon The Northern Irishman added: “Norwich since replacing the sacked Chris Hughton Cup semi-finals. very well if the criticism is fair or not. And I get as they try to snatch European qualification have changed the shape of the team. They was a 1-0 defeat by relegation rivals The principality club were stunned by strug- on with my job. themselves. played a diamond last weekend and they Fulham last week, said: “We have four mas- gling Guingamp on Wednesday, losing 3-1 after “That’s football. It’s not a problem. The prob- “We don’t want to talk about Europe. We have created some chances. “It’s been difficult sive games against top class opposition extra time to end their hopes of winning major lem is the next match and concentrating on it.” just taken six points from a possible six and we for them this season, but we don’t underes- and we know 32 points (Norwich’s current silverware for the first time in more than a Monaco are second in Ligue 1, 10 points want to continue. Lille are a difficult team to timate them. We’ll respect them and know tally) won’t be enough. I am pretty sure of decade. behind leaders PSG, who play Lyon in the play, very strong defensively and tactically that they are a threat.” that. It was a defeat that did coach Claudio Ranieri League Cup final late yesterday. A defeat for strong,” said OM’s interim coach Jose Anigo. Liverpool will be without Jordan “These last four are going to be very few favors at a time when his future at the Stade Monaco against their local rivals would leave the At the bottom of the table, Ajaccio cross Henderson, who will serve the first game of tough and people may feel we have the Louis II is the subject of much speculation, espe- way clear Corsica for the derby against Bastia knowing a three-match ban against the Canaries most difficult run-in of the lot but we are cially with sports daily L’Equipe reporting that for the capital club to secure the title with a they have to win to stand any chance of further after he was sent off against Manchester confident with the same effort and the Italian changed his team selection three win against Evian next Wednesday, and it would postponing their inevitable relegation. City, with Joe Allen likely to deputise in approach we showed (at Fulham) we will times in the corridors of Guingamp’s Stade du also leave third-placed Lille in with a chance of Even if they do claim all three points at the midfield. The Reds will give a fitness test to pick up points. “It is a huge advantage to be Roudourou before the match. However, the beating them to second place. Stade Armand-Cesari, their return to Ligue 2 striker Daniel Sturridge after he suffered a out of the bottom three. Italian, who became known as the ‘Tinkerman’ Only the top two sides in Ligue 1 qualify after three seasons in the top tier will be con- hamstring injury against City which may There is pressure on Fulham to get out during his time in charge of Chelsea a decade automatically for the Champions League group firmed if Guingamp take anything from their trip force Rodgers into a change of formation.