David Moyes believes the entire UK is behind his Everton side’s
bid to humble their rich neighbours Liverpool at Wembley.
The Blues' boss is convinced viewers without an
allegiance to either team in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final will be
rooting for his men, because the Toffees have built a team rather
than splurging £100million-plus on new faces as their Merseyside
neighbours have done.
“The neutral would want Everton to win,” he insisted.
Bookies make Liverpool slight favourites for the game between
two clubs who are worlds apart in terms of money, with the Reds
boasting a wage bill double that of their rivals and a record of
transfer spending that's on a different planet.
Moyes though, believes that buying power puts everyone outside
the red half of the city on his side.
“The neutrals look at Everton and see the way we have tried to
build the club, tried to develop the team gives hope to many other
clubs," added the Scot.
“It has been done with real hard graft. It has taken a real
period of time - that’s why we have not been in enough semi-finals
and finals. It may not be the right way, but it’s our way and they
appreciate it.”
What remains unspoken in Moyes’ suggestion is the fact many
neutrals are turned off by the brusque, challenging nature of
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish.
Dalglish won few new friends during the long-running Luis Suarez
racism row, and in recent days his attempt at mind games – he piled
pressure on semi-final ref Howard Webb by saying some may feel
there's a conspiracy amongst officials against his side – have
drawn scorn from rival supporters.
Moyes though, has refused to be drawn into his opposite number’s
political wranglings.
He insists he has complete faith in Webb, who reffed the 2010
World Cup Final, to rise above such obvious pressure.
“A similar thing happened before the first derby game this
season, when we got a player sent off – but we are not going to get
embroiled in that,” Moyes insisted.
“We have to go with the integrity of the referee, which we will
do.
"If it’s happening from Liverpool then, that would be for the FA
to decide if that’s the case or not. It’s not for us.
"We will trust Howard Webb’s judgement.”
