Blues' Euro Misfortune

Boss says it is bad luck that seventh is again not good enough.

David Moyes believes Everton will be unfortunate not to be playing in Europe next season if they go on to cement seventh position in the Premier League.

The Blues play bottom club Wolves on Sunday and are firm favourites to maintain their current placing in the table.

Many times in the past that would have been rewarded with Europa League qualification but – as was also the case last season – it won’t be good enough this time around with only the top six likely to

And Moyes said: “Our form since January has certainly picked up and we want to finish off strongly. At the start of the year if you had said you’ll be seventh at this point then I would have probably said 'that is good'. A lot of years that would have given you a real chance of finishing in a European position but unfortunately that will not be the case this season.”

Despite being pleased his side are in line for another strong top-half finish, Moyes insists that certainly doesn’t mean he will not be aiming higher next term.

He explained: “If you had given me that at the start of the season I might have said yes as it is close to where we have been in recent years, but I can’t be happy with finishing seventh or eighth because that is no ambition at all.

“I always say at the start of the season that I want to win the league – and I do want to win the league.

“If I can’t finish first then I will try and finish second or third or wherever it takes us. As it stands we can finish seventh so that is what we will try and do.”