Moyes Dreams of Return to Glory Days After Win at City

David Moyes commended his Everton players after their 2-0 victory at Manchester City saw them leapfrog Liverpool back into fourth spot in the battle to qualify for the Champions League. Everton outplayed their opponents and Moyes spoke ambitiously of "getting the club back to where it was many, many years ago".

The Everton manager was entitled to be optimistic after watching his team beat City for a second time this season, putting them three points ahead of their neighbors. "It was an excellent performance from us," he said. "I thought we were really, really good and to have 50 points at this stage of the season is a great total.

"City had beaten United in their last match and tonight was a really important game for them as well as us. It was their opportunity to get into a really good position but we are playing with great belief. It's a great achievement to be fourth because there are a lot of clubs who are trying to get into the Champions League places and we haven't spent a lot to get there. If the league was on spending, we would not be in this position."

Goals from Yakubu Ayegbeni and Joleon Lescott took Everton six points clear of City and Sven-Goran Eriksson said he was "frustrated" by a dismal performance, culminating in Martin Petrov being sent off for aiming an off-the-ball kick at Leon Osman in stoppage-time. The City manager described the decision as "harsh" but he was less inclined to defend his team.

"We played with the same organization and the same 11 as we did against Manchester United," said Eriksson. "So, yes, it is a little bit frustrating. Back to earth we fall. The only positive is that the players didn't give up and tried hard in the second half, but Everton defended very well."

Eriksson conceded that City might have to readjust their sights to the Uefa Cup and, failing that, the club will enter the Intertoto Cup. "We want to play in Europe," he said. "The dream should be - and will be - the Champions League but we shouldn't discuss that today because we're now six points off Everton and it looks much more like the business of the two Liverpool clubs."