Source: Liverpool_Echo
Leon Osman prepared to scalp Everton's rivals
EVERTON goal hero Leon Osman believes the Blues must come to terms with being considered a 'scalp' for the less-fancied teams in the top flight.
Everton discovered just how defiant Stoke could be at Goodison Park on Sunday, when they had to battle back from a goal down to claim a point.
It was Osman, stand-in skipper in the absence of Phil Neville and Joseph Yobo, who produced a captain's performance and a fine 20-yard equaliser.
Robert Huth had earlier headed his first goal for Stoke since his £6million summer move from Middlesbrough, and Everton discovered throughout just how much the Potters wanted to prove themselves against last term's FA Cup finalists and fifth-placed side.
Everton had won five games on the trot in all competitions, but they had to battle hard against Tony Pulis' side, now in their second season in the Premier League and looking more than the long-ball outfit they were branded last term.
Osman said: 'Getting back into that top five for a European place is our aim, but it does not get any easier. Clubs like Stoke have spent money and the opposition is getting harder by the week.
'And we are a target now. We have finished in the top five or so now for the last few seasons so teams fancy their chances and want to do well against us.
'They come to Goodison Park intent on claiming the scalp of a big club now, that is what we have become.
'They know they have to work hard, but they will step it up and raise their game. That makes it twice as hard for us to break them down.
'It is now all about us finding that next level to be able to cope with such situations, people really want to beat us because of what we have achieved.'
Osman claimed his second goal of the season and the 31st in his Everton career, but added: 'Stoke are always difficult to break down, they were determined not to be beaten and they were very tough opponents.
'We scored one goal, could have had another but it was disappointing we didn't win.
'I tried a similar shot to the one that I scored with a couple of minutes beforehand and it was a miss-hit and sailed wide.
