David Moyes discusses Everton's challenges and European ambitions

David Moyes sat down at Finch Farm with the sun finally breaking through over the training pitches, but his mood still carried the shadow of Monday night.

That stoppage-time blow against Manchester City has lingered. He admitted it. “Monday’s stuck quite badly,” he said, the kind of phrase that tells you the manager has replayed those final minutes more than once in his head. It’s not just City, either. West Ham, Liverpool, City – three games, three late gut-punches. Stoppage time has cost Everton dearly.

Idrissa out, but “not serious”

The first big issue was Idrissa. Moyes confirmed the midfielder is out for the weekend and not currently in training, though he stressed the injury is “not serious” and that they hope to have him back soon. With just three games left and his contract situation unresolved, the question of whether he has already played his last game for the club hangs over the run-in, but Moyes would not be drawn. On the deal, all he would offer was: “When we have something to tell you we will let you know.”

Tim, by contrast, looks set to feature. Moyes said the problem he suffered on Monday was cramp and suggested he will be fine for Sunday. The manager also reserved warm words for Dibling, describing him as a player with “a lot of potential” and someone Everton “like a lot”, adding that next season should be the stage on which he really starts to show it.

Late goals, hard lessons

The conversation kept circling back to those late concessions. Asked whether the staff had forensically picked apart the City equaliser, Moyes pushed the responsibility onto the pitch.

To an extent, yes, they have looked at it. But in his eyes, it mostly comes down to player decisions: “Quite often as the manager you are hoping they get more decisions right on the pitch than wrong.”

He accepted the referee was within his rights to play the additional time on Monday, and he admitted he does not like making substitutions because of the extra minutes they can trigger. On this occasion, he said he had no choice after Iroegbunam’s injury. His frustration lies more with game management: he felt it was unnecessary for three players to chase up the pitch when Everton cleared late on. Concentration, he insisted, has to be better.

That theme fed into a broader question: can you even replicate stoppage-time chaos on the training ground? Moyes said he starts by asking himself what he could have done differently, but there was no illusion that training can fully mimic the pressure, fatigue and noise of those final moments.

Rotation, expectations and a growing Merlin

Giulia Bould of the BBC pushed him on rotation and the art of keeping a squad onside. Moyes called handling expectations “a big part” of management. Delivering bad news well, explaining decisions clearly, making sure players understand why they are in or out – that, he suggested, is as important as any tactical tweak.

He picked out Tim and Merlin as “terrific boys”, and you could sense a manager pleased with what he has in that younger bracket. He believes people are only just starting to see what Merlin can really do and admitted Everton are still working out how to use him most effectively.

As for Iroegbunam and Rohl, their strong performances on Monday did not change Moyes’ overall view of them. They have, he said, been giving him something to think about all season.

Barry, Beto and the search for more goals

Up front, the Barry v Beto question has been a constant thread through the campaign. Moyes pointed to Beto’s recent form but admitted the strikers have kept him guessing over who should start all season.

Could they both start together? “Maybe,” he replied, but only with “quite a few bits and pieces” changed to make it work. If it turned into a “must win situation”, he said, he would try to get as many attacking players on the pitch as possible.

There is a platform to build from. Moyes is pleased to have three players on eight league goals – the first time in Premier League history that Everton have had three players reach that mark in the same season. It’s a notable achievement, but he immediately pushed for more. Eight is not enough for a side with European ambitions.

Chasing Europe, dreaming big

The table is tight, the permutations messy, but Everton are still in the hunt for Europe. That is not lost on Moyes. Asked how Aston Villa and Crystal Palace’s success on the continent has influenced him, he went back to his time at West Ham. He spoke of how special European football was for everyone at that club and admitted he has been “dreaming all year” of delivering that same feeling at Everton.

He felt the side finished last season on a high and wants to repeat that trick, not just for the points but to keep momentum rolling into the summer. The target for the final three games? Simple, on the surface. He wants Everton to “play well”. He knows they are “a long way off Man City” but believes this has been a progressive season and wants to keep pushing to make the team more exciting. Performances matter, he said, but so do wins. He wants both.

Summer plans and the academy push

Moyes insisted the outcome of the last three fixtures will not radically alter his summer blueprint. He described himself as “set” on his plans, though he acknowledged that European qualification would tweak the picture. He also hinted that the club could do with more academy players forcing their way into the senior setup, and he wants to use the off-season to build on what has been put in place this year.

There was a brief nod to Jack Grealish too. Moyes said there was no news on him but added that “Jack is loved everywhere he goes and he is certainly loved here.” No more than that, no fuel for speculation.

Palace, fatigue and an opening?

Attention now turns to Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace are riding the high of securing a place in the UEFA Conference League final, a momentous night that earned the players a day off. Their manager, Oliver Glasner, has already promised they will not “wave the white flag against Everton”, stressing the importance of rest and then a sharp reset on Saturday when they reconvene to prepare.

Moyes was asked whether Palace’s European exertions might offer an opportunity. He refused to label it that simply, but he did admit he is “hoping that CP are finding they have some effects” from Thursday’s efforts. At the same time, he praised Palace’s achievement and congratulated Glasner on the job he has done.

For all the tactical talk and injury updates, Moyes kept returning to one idea: games are about two halves, and Everton have to be good in both. He was very pleased with the second-half display on Monday, but “still disappointed we didn’t see the game out.”

That, more than anything, is the challenge now. Three games left, Europe still possible, late goals still haunting them. Everton do not just need to play well. They need to prove they can finally finish.