GRAV MISSES POMPEY

Tuesday 2 March 2004, 09:40

Everton have confirmed that Thomas Gravesen will miss the Portsmouth game on March 13, as David Moyes has called for the midfielder to score more goals.

Gravesen's strike in Saturday's 2-0 win over Aston Villa was his first of the season and only his sixth in an Everton career which has spanned 125 games.

Moyes has revealed that he criticised Thomas Gravesen's lack of goals during the half-time team talk against Villa and was happy to be proved wrong on 84 minutes when Gravesen scored Everton's second of the afternoon.

"Tommy scores goals like the one he got on Saturday three or four times a day in training," said Moyes. "But he doesn't do it in matches.

"I actually spoke to him about that before Saturday's game.

"I told him it was outrageous that he hadn't scored in the Premier League this season. He has got a great shot which is very powerful and he has the skill to beat players, so he should have a much better goals return.

"He took a lot of criticism from me at half-time on Saturday and then shoved it right in my face in the second half.

"That is what I want, that is how I want a player to react and I was the first person to congratulate him after the game for his second half display.

"If I have to goad him into scoring more often then I will."

After his booking against Villa the Danish international becomes only the second Everton player to serve a suspension for collating five yellow cards during the current campaign. Wayne Rooney was suspended for the Southampton game back in October.

Club Secretary David Harrison confirmed: "Thomas' booking against Aston Villa was his fifth of the season which means he will now be suspended for the game with Portsmouth on March 13."

Saturday's game left five Blues stars on the verge of a suspension but fortunately 24 hours later the Premier League's amnesty kicked in and even if further cautions follow they will not be suspended.

That, of course, means that David Unsworth, Steve Watson, Duncan Ferguson, Gary Naysmith and Tobias Linderoth will all escape, however, their young team-mate Rooney may not be so lucky.

The 18-year-old is currently on nine bookings for the season and if he receives another yellow then he will serve his second suspension of the campaign.

But if he is not cautioned before the second Premier League amnesty, which is the second Sunday in April, then he will also escape a ban.

The Danish international's excellent solo strike against Aston Villa on Saturday was his first goal of the season and only his sixth in 125 appearances for the Blues.

It is a dismal return which Moyes has warned the 27-year-old he must improve.