MOYES: STAY FOCUSED

Thursday 25 March 2004, 15:30

Blues Boss David Moyes has warned his Everton side to keep their concentration levels up until the final whistle blows between now and the end of the season.

Moyes has watched with frustration as his side have squandered five points in the last six weeks due to the opposition scoring last-minute goals.

In the Blues' last two away games at Southampton and Leicester, they have conceded injury-time goals, which have gifted the home sides a point each.

Then against Manchester United at Goodison in February, Everton battled back from 0-3 down to equalise, before Ruud van Nistlerooy scored a last-minute heartbreaker.

Moyes is becoming concerned at the pattern and is doing all he can to make sure that is not repeated in the coming months.

He said: "It is something we have to make sure doesn't happen again. Had it not been for late goals we would have had 12 points from our last four matches.

"It is just a case of concentrating that little bit harder and being a bit more professional in the last 10 minutes of matches. We have to make sure we see games out."

The recent trend has been in stark contrast to last season when the Blues were snatching wins or grabbing points in the dying minutes of matches.

Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester City, Southampton, Aston Villa and most famously, Arsenal all fell victim of Everton's late, late shows last season and Moyes wants to be celebrating rather than commiserating at the final whistle.

He continued: "It has cost us points. Last season we were scoring late goals. That is what we want to get back to.

"Concentration is not something you can work on in training. All we can do is talk to the players about it because we don't want it to happen again.

"There was a real sense of disappointment last weekend at losing the goal in the last few seconds. But there was a lot of pride at having dug in for so long with 10 men."