Moyes ready for critical period - Bet On Football

Phil Jagielka scored in the 2-2 draw at Boundary Park.

David Moyes accepts that Everton's FA Cup fifth-round replay against League One side Oldham Athletic on Tuesday will start a defining stage in the season for his team.

Everton have stuttered of late and Saturday's last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Norwich City has left them seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. They are now 15.00 to finish in the top four in the Premier League and 1.80 to seal a top-six spot.

Everton, 7.00 to win Tuesday's replay 2-0, with Leighton Baines 9.50 to open the scoring, will face Wigan Athletic in the sixth round if they can get past Oldham, who hit back to draw 2-2 in the initial meeting between the two teams at Boundary Park.

Moyes said: "I've always said we've had to be grafting at it constantly and grit it out all season, and that may be having an effect. But we'll get a second wind I think soon and kick on again.

"I'd say, 'Look at our situation'. How many clubs don't have anything to play for at this stage of the season? We have, we're still in a really good position. We're sixth in the table, we have a replay in the FA Cup at home to get into the quarter-finals.

"It's a big game for us, for the fans. I think we're in a period of big games, albeit not maybe the top teams, but there's a period of big games coming up. I think we're in a period of maybe what direction our season is going a little bit, so we have to look at that and see."

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