What Everton boss David Moyes keeps telling himself about Anfield visits
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David Moyes believes his Anfield curse must end soon as he braces for another trip to Liverpool.
Sometime it will come in the future,” he said ahead of the 247th Merseyside derby.
It will be his 13th attempt to secure three points from the away dugout as Blues boss.
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Everton have won at their fiercest rivals just once this century - a victory sealed under Carlo Ancelotti in front of the empty stands of lockdown.
Moyes has some cause for hope.
Bolstered by nine summer signings, including the loan addition of the Premier League’s August player of the month, Jack Grealish, the Blues have enjoyed a positive start to the campaign.
That last weekend’s goalless draw with Aston Villa felt like a missed opportunity highlighted just how much progress Moyes has overseen since he returned in January.
Key to the improvement has been Everton’s away form - a trend that now spans the summer after the thrilling 3-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers before the international break.
It included a strong display at Anfield earlier this year, too, when the Blues lost 1-0 to a controversial Diogo Jota strike.
Of his side’s away record, Moyes said: “It gives me confidence that we can go and play.
“Let’s be fair, Liverpool were the better team at Anfield last season but it was an offside goal that won the game for them.
“I think when you are going to win the big games you need things to go for you and the decisions didn’t go for us.
“But I am really pleased with how the players have done with their form away from home.
“If you had given me last year winning at Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Brighton or Fulham… if you look at that then our away record has been pretty good.”
Everton are more than Grealish, with Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall combining with the Manchester City playmaker to great effect in their first games together.
Beto has been a constant nuisance in recent derbies, too, though Moyes was tight-lipped over whether left back Vitalii Mykolenko could return to his line-up after a start to the season dogged by injuries.
Moyes is aware there is jeopardy as he attempts to blend the creative talent now available to him with the defensive resilience that has been vital through recent years of struggle.
“We have got to be careful,” he insisted.
“We have to watch we don’t open ourselves up.
“We lost narrowly at Anfield and had a draw at Goodison, the two games last year were incredibly close on both occasions.
“I think Liverpool’s signings have improved them.
It’ll show, maybe not immediately, but it will show in time.
“We have changed our players and we are improving as well.
It is difficult to show improvement at the top for Liverpool, but we have a real chance to show we are making a step up.
“It doesn’t mean we are close to Liverpool yet but I am going to see if we can get a positive result if we can.”
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A win, however it came, would mean the world to him.
He said: “I wouldn’t care how I won at Anfield.