The player-turned-pundit has been impressed by Everton’s season and the work David Moyes has done to inspire it
Former player and TV Pundit Alan Shearer looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona at St James’ Park. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Alan Shearer believes David Moyes should be a contender for the manager of the season accolade after transforming Everton’s outlook.
The Blues head into Sunday’s Merseyside derby with European qualification well within reach with just six games to go. A win over Liverpool would put the Blues in a strong position to make that dream a reality, a feat that would represent an incredible turnaround after recent years fighting for survival on and off the pitch.
Shearer thinks Everton will “fancy their chances” as Moyes’ in-form side come up against a Liverpool team at a low ebb after their midweek Champions League exit to PSG – though he cautioned Mo Salah will be desperate to make an impression in his final derby.
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The Premier League winner said: “Everton, without doubt, will fancy their chances, as will David Moyes. You can imagine the Everton players and fans looking at Liverpool coming to their new ground on Sunday. Everton are flying this season. David Moyes has done a wonderful job, and they’ve got a chance of qualifying for Europe. They would take great pleasure in beating Liverpool this weekend to help their cause of getting into Europe.”
Everton enter the game with momentum after their stoppage time leveller at Brentford last weekend. They will also be looking to build on back-to-back wins at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with the stunning atmosphere and performance against Chelsea providing a breakthrough in their quest to make the new stadium feel like home.
Shearer, speaking to Betfair, said: “They’ll be full of confidence. It’ll be a cracking atmosphere, as they always are both at Anfield and at Everton. So yeah, they’ll fancy their chances because they’ll sense that Liverpool are in trouble and have been for a while, so they’ll want to go and take the points.”
The former England star-turned pundit suggested the pressure is on Arne Slot after a disappointing title defence whereas Moyes, he believes, should be in the conversation for the Premier League’s manager of the season trophy.
He said: “You can imagine how loud the noise will be around Slot if Liverpool were to lose on Sunday. I mean, Slot is under pressure anyway. They’ve had a really disappointing season. Clearly, he doesn’t fancy Mo Salah anymore, because he didn’t play him in Liverpool’s two biggest games of the season in the Champions League. So, you can imagine mentally what that does to Mo albeit he’ll still want to go out on a high. The noise will be really, really loud if Everton beat Liverpool.
“I think, depending on how Everton end the season and depending on how Brentford end the season Moyes has to be in the running for the Premier League manager of the year. I mean, normally, whoever wins the league gets the manager of the year, but David Moyes and Keith Andrews, depending how they finish, will be in with a shout, absolutely.”