Moyes rues missed opportunity

David Moyes believed Everton missed a 'big opportunity' in their push for European qualification after his side failed to hold onto a two-goal lead against Birmingham.

The Toffees were in command after goals from Victor Anichebe (19) and Yakubu (22).

But Cameron Jerome quickly pulled one back (26) before Craig Gardner earned the Blues a point with his first goal for the club on 52 minutes.

The draw means the ninth-placed Toffees failed to close the two-point gap on the Blues in the table.

Moyes told Sky Sports afterwards that he thought his side's play merited the win, certainly in the first half.

Sloppy goal

"But for an inspired goal-keeping performance (from Joe Hart) and an incredible sloppy goal for us I think we would have gone on to win it," he said.

Moyes celebrates eight years in charge of the Toffees this week and he believes his current team is the best he has had.

He said: "I'm really lucky that I've had a great chairman and I've worked at a great club who've given me the opportunity.

"I've always said that I don't want to overstay my welcome at Everton if they think I've been here too long then I'll move.

Fortunate

"But at the present time I think they're still putting up with me. I know one thing, I've been really fortunate with the players I've had, that the team I've got now are probably the best team I've had and anybody who have watched us play in the last couple of weeks I'm sure would vouch for that, even today."

Asked as regards qualifying for Europe, he said: "We've got a long way to go, I've always said we're playing catch up because of the start that we had to the season so we will see were it goes.

"At the moment, today's result didn't help them, didn't help us, doesn't really close the gap on anybody above us and the games are running out.

"So we missed a big opportunity today at 2-0 up, we should have, I felt, been good enough to go on and win the game."

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