Micah Richards blown away by Everton fact Gary Lineker’s told him, ‘Wow’
Micah Richards was blown away by a David Moyes and Everton fact he was told by Gary Lineker.
Everton’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday made it four victories in the last five for Moyes’ side, lifting them up to 14th in the table and 13 points clear of the relegation zone with just 13 games left.
Moyes may have lost his first match back in charge at Goodison to Aston Villa last month, but since then it’s been a firmly upward trajectory, with their only dropped points coming in the Merseyside Derby.
A 2-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth in the FA Cup fourth round has been one of few missteps made by Moyes since his return to Merseyside, as the Blues continue their climb away from the bottom three of the Premier League.
Gary Lineker leaves Micah Richards amazed with Everton fact
Speaking on The Rest Is Football (17 February), Lineker and Richards discussed the Toffees’ superb Premier League form since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche in the dugout at Goodison on 9 January.
Richards said: “I still think Dyche would’ve kept them up, but Moyes’ relationship with the club over the years is that great – maybe it’s just that little spark that everyone needed?”
Lineker said: “Do you know, if the Premier League had started the day that David Moyes arrived, they’d be top? Who could’ve predicted that!”
Richards responded: “Wow, amazing. Amazing, amazing.”
David Moyes delivering at the right time for Everton
Before Moyes’ arrival back on Merseyside to retake the reins after 12 years away, Evertonians feared the worst, with seemingly every result under Dyche seeing them slip closer and closer to the drop zone.
Toffees fans are certainly grateful to Dyche for his key role in keeping them up in two turbulent seasons back-to-back, navigating their path away from relegation despite two points deductions last term.
However, with even Dyche admitting that he’d taken a financially-pressured squad as far as he could and the football becoming increasingly dismal, Moyes taking his place has been a huge breath of fresh air.
Four victories either side of a draw and loss apiece doesn’t quite see the Blues top the Premier League form table due to differing dates of other sides’ last six matches, but there’s no questioning his impact.
With a 13-point buffer to the relegation zone and the top half of the table now firmly in their sights, who knows where Moyes can take Everton before this season of two halves comes to an end.