David Moyes tells Everton players: Forget injury list and concentrate on saving our season

David Moyes has warned his players they must stop hiding behind the excuse of the injury crisis that has devastated Everton.

The Goodison Park boss fears too many people are feeling sorry for themselves after the latest blow, which brought major setbacks for key players Mikel Arteta and Phil Jagielka on their return to full fitness.

With 10 players missing against Benfica on Thursday, defeat extended the Blues’ sequence without a win to seven matches and hit confidence further, especially given the continuing absence of the important pair.

Arteta will now be sidelined until well into the new year after he required further surgery, earlier this week, on the injured knee which has already kept him out for 10 months.

And Moyes revealed yesterday that Jagielka had a cartilage operation on Wednesday, following complications in his recovery from the knee ligament injury that has kept him out for the past six months.

Both players were due back in action with the first team within the next few days, and the desperate blow combined with a mounting injury crisis has left an air of gloom around the club.

But the Everton boss struck a defiant note yesterday, as he insisted there can be no excuses nor any focus on injured players, because those who are fit and out there on the pitch have to concentrate solely on delivering.

“My message to the players is simple, they can’t be looking over their shoulders for back up, because there is none coming,” Moyes said.

“They are out there on their own, and they’ll be judged on what happens on the pitch, no matter who isn’t available. So they have got to stop feeling sorry for themselves and start looking for a solution.

“That is why we are trying hard to keep away from the focus on injured players, and focus instead on the ones who are fit. It is hard, and I don’t think any club would cope with the kind of losses we’ve suffered, but the fact is, it is our job to find solutions no matter what the circumstances.

Moyes confirmed that Jagielka will now be out for another four to six weeks as he recovers from surgery to have his cartilage repaired, which means he won’t be available until the new year.

With Arteta, skipper Phil Neville, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe also not back until the second half of the season, and Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Louis Saha all still sidelined, the manager has huge problems.

But even though certain critics have already suggested Moyes must soon get to the stage where he considers whether Everton’s financial problems could damage his career, the Scottish coach insists his thoughts are focused entirely on how he can turn things around.

“I’m more interested in Everton’s reputation than mine. I’m only interested in keeping this club as a top-six force, and progressing, no matter what resources we have,” he said.

“I want to put my head above the parapet, and accept the responsibility of trying to find a winning solution to the problems that we currently have. No matter what injury problems we have, it’s not hard to accept the buck stops with me - I thrive on that, I want it, and that’s my job.”

Moyes will at least have both John Heitinga and Lucas Neill back for the visit to West Ham on Sunday, after the pair were cup tied in midweek, and Saha may also be given the all clear to play.