By Chris Kirwan
January 16 2003

When the Blues entertain Sunderland at Goodison on Saturday they will realise that a win is crucial to get their season back on track. There is no need to panic at the mini-slump that the Blues are currently in the midst of. Moyes is looking at building a club for long-term success, and his current crop of players have been playing above their station. It was inevitable that at some stage of the season the side would struggle courtesy of injury and suspension. But the fact remains that the Blues are in their lofty position because they deserve to be. While the players at Moyes’ disposal may not be perceived to be the most talented bunch in the Premiership, they have been playing in a manner that merits a top six finish.

Which makes it all the more important that the team that Moyes fields on Saturday departs with all the spoils come 5 o’clock. It would be a tragedy if the Blues fail to capitalise on such a good start to the season and falls back into another season of mid-table mediocrity. The failure to pick up points in recent weeks has meant that the likes of Tottenham, Southampton, Man City and Blackburn have caught up with (and in Southampton’s case passed) the Blues. It has been even more upsetting that Everton have failed to capitalise on Liverpool’s troubles by building up a substantial lead over them.

The Blues have a great opportunity to get back into the winning habit against Sunderland. Under Howard Wilkinson they have been playing some of the dullest football in living memory. While they were victorious in a midweek cup-tie against Bolton, they were reportedly as awful as they have been all season. What will worry Moyes will be the prospect of another Bolton scenario, where failure to get an early breakthrough builds pressure and leads to disappointment. The Blues looked in fine attacking form against Spurs, and will hopefully carry on where they left off on that account. But what is crucial is that they cut out the defensive errors; Sunderland are unlikely to create too many openings, but possess a couple of good finishers in Phillips and Flo. Maybe that will lead Moyes to recall David Weir.

I believe that the Blues will get back to winning ways on Saturday; not many sides leave Goodison with anything, and Sunderland’s last away league win was back in August. I might just put some money on a 2-0 Everton victory, with Steve Watson scoring first against his old enemies!