Moyes praises players

Yakubu: Hat-trick

David Moyes praised his team after seeing a second-half Yakubu Aiyegbeni hat-trick at Goodison Park fire Everton into seventh in the league.

Fulham held Everton to a goal-less first-half of few chances, the best of which fell to Tim Cahill who put his free-header wide.

But the game came alive in the second period and Yakubu put Everton in front in the 51st minute when he netted the rebound after keeper Antti Niemi did well to save a Cahill volley.

The Nigerian then scored his second after Phil Jagielka flicked on a corner, before sealing the win with a fine shot in the 79th minute.

Reflecting on the game, Moyes said: "It was a tight first-half. I think the conditions played a big part, the rain and the pitch was very difficult but overall we got there in the end.

Credit

"I thought we started the game very well, I thought we passed it really well, the opening 15 minutes or so. Then I have to give Fulham a bit of credit, they came back into it."

He added his team were feeling their exertions from mid-week when they beat Zenit St Petersburg in the Uefa Cup.

"We didn't look as if we had enough energy in the first-half," he said, adding he had to give his players credit for the way they played in the second-half.

"I thought the football was as good as we've played.

"He is beginning to score the goals, that's what we bought him for.

Brilliant

"We knew he had a brilliant record, we knew if we could get someone at the club, or two or three people at the club, scoring goals regular, hopefully it would keep us near the top of the league and that is what they are doing."

Everton are now unbeaten in ten games and next go to Upton Park to play West Ham on Wednesday in the quarter-final of the Carling Cup.

"We just need to go and get on with the next game. If we start looking too far ahead now sometimes you can fall flat on your face," said Moyes.

"I think we all know how important it would be to get through in the cup, but in the same breathe I have got to say I am really pleased with today's performance, today's result, because the league points in the Premier League will always be vital and probably always be the most important thing."