Moyes not worried about underdog status

Posted on Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 at 12:50 pm and is filed under News.

Everton manager David Moyes is backing his club to upset Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday.

Everton are no stranger to David vs. Goliath encounters on the hallowed turf of Wembley, and emerged triumphant from their last FA Cup final appearance at the ground in 1995 after defeating all-conquering Manchester United 1-0.

Saturday will see Everton up against a club that finished third in the Premier League and also managed to reach the semifinals of the 2008/2009 Champions League. With a squad packed with international superstars, Chelsea are the clear favourites to win on the weekend.

“We know we will have to play well to beat them but we have come close,” Moyes was quoted as saying by the AFP. “I think games against them have been tight recently and hopefully it will be much closer than people expect.”

Moyes believes that Everton will benefit from qualifying for the FA Cup final irrespective of the result of proceedings at Wembley on Saturday.

“I think it is not just me but everybody at this club has longed for Everton to get to an FA Cup final,” he added. “We have got the opportunity to win the FA Cup now and we have to do it. I think we are a side that is moving forward and that has grown.”

“We are climbing a big hill and we are not at the top of it yet but I can see us doing that. The FA Cup final is another step in the right direction. This is only the first of many finals and we will have the opportunities to win many more in the future.”