Moyes believes Everton have to "dream" about closing gap on Liverpool again

David Moyes insists Everton have to dream that one day they can get back to competing with Liverpool for European places.

The Toffees wave goodbye to Goodison Park this season and Wednesday night will be the final ever Merseyside derby to take place at the ground. A new era is coming for the club as they prepare to move to Bramley Moore Dock and Moyes is hoping he can start to build the club back up to where he left it back in 2013.

In the Scot’s final two seasons of his first stint in charge, Everton finished above Liverpool in the Premier League table. In 2005, they also qualified for the Champions League. When he had taken over in 2002, there was a huge gulf between the two clubs.

Since he’s left that gulf has returned as Everton are back fighting relegation while the Reds are winning major trophies. Ahead of tonight’s game, there’s 30 points and 15 places separating the table-topping Liverpool and 16th-placed Everton.

But Moyes has hope that the gap can close again. It will just take time. “I am hoping that we can start building again,” said Moyes. “Every time, you are anxious to get over that first bit.

“When I first came over, I remember thinking, “My goodness we are going to stay up”, beating Fulham and Derby and Newcastle early on.

“We stayed up then and we had a very good year after that. I have to hope somewhere that we can try to plan it to be the same. At West Ham, we had to stay up and in the first year I was asking, “how am I going to do this?”. Then the next year we ended up getting into Europe.

“I don’t know if it is dreaming, but the idea is to try to have that as my goal. How can I do it? If we are fortunate to get ourselves of this position and stay in the Premier League, then we have to try to target getting into a European position if we can. If we pull up short, so be it, but we will try.”

For now, Evertonians will take striking a blow to Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes and getting the final ever win at Goodison Park in a Merseyside derby. Liverpool head into the game six points clear at the top of the table so even defeat won’t be critical to their challenge for a 20th league title.

But, for Everton, it will be an emotional occasion in the 120th derby to take place at the Grand Old Lady with both sides locked on 41 wins each at the ground. Moyes is wary that the Blues focus on the task rather than the emotion of the evening under the lights in a fixture which was rearranged from December because of a storm.

“The task is a big one, let’s not kid ourselves on, but it’s a one-off game, especially this one,” said Moyes. "There is a gulf between the teams in quality at the moment and obviously that is shown in the league position as well.

“That’s where you have to find a way to bridge the gulf on the night and bring it much closer. It’s just a game, another game, but I will tell the players about what it means to the supporters.

“Yet if I have to tell them that, you would be questioning where they are in their footballing world. Especially now and what we are talking about the last one at Goodison. It is a big thing. Everyone here is aware of trying to finish at Goodison in a great place. All the staff around the place are trying to make the last few games here special. "