Anders Limpar believes the upcoming Merseyside derby could be pivotal in the race for Champions League football
Iliman Ndiaye celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with teammate Idrissa Gueye during the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Anders Limpar believes Everton could shock the Premier League and become a top-five club for years to come.
The winger, part of the Blues’ 1995 FA Cup-winning side, thinks the club has all the pieces to quickly become a Champions League regular.
They include players with star quality, the stunning Hill Dickinson Stadium and the knowhow of David Moyes, with the former Sweden international declaring: “It’s good times nowadays for Everton.”
For Limpar, the catalyst for the Blues to turn a good season into a great one could be the upcoming Merseyside derby, the first meeting between the rivals at the state-of-the-art waterfront stadium.
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The neighbours would be level on points if Everton were to beat Brentford and Liverpool lose to Fulham this weekend, making the match pivotal in the race for the Champions League.
Limpar said: “The Merseyside derby is coming up soon and given where both clubs are right now, that could be the decider for the Champions League spot, and Everton can win that game. Liverpool can win that game too. It’s a 50-50 in my opinion.
“If we win an important game like that, we can go above them, so they have to take it one game at a time and just play their own game.”
Regardless of where the Blues finish this season, an asset that would strengthen the squad going forward would be a striker with a proven track record in the Premier League.
And Limpar, speaking to NewBettingSites.uk, shared his thoughts on whether a return for Romelu Lukaku, who is currently having an injury-hit season in Italy with Napoli, should be considered.
He said: “He was really good for Everton but that was 10 years ago and I’m not sure if it would be a good thing to bring him in. It certainly could be a good thing because he knows Everton.
.”It all comes down to how fit he is, how much he wants to play for Everton, and how he fits what David Moyes wants.”
A return to Merseyside for Lukaku could galvanise the club even further, should it pay off. With the Blues set to open talks with Manchester City over extending the stay of Jack Grealish into next season, Limpar said: “Everton could have Jack Grealish, Romelu Lukaku and Iliman Ndiaye up front and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in midfield with Idrissa Gueye. That’s a solid foundation to build on, and Everton even have the stadium for it now.
“Everton can be a top-five club for seasons ahead. We have the manager to do it. David Moyes is clever. They’re not there yet but not by miles and we have good owners who have a lot of money who can bring in four or five players.
“I definitely think we are going to be in the top five for the next few years. It’s good times nowadays for Everton.”