Tim Howard urges Everton team-mates to maintain their good form

23 January 2013 14:00

Tim Howard hopes Everton can produce their usual end-of-season form to translate their good start into UEFA Champions League qualification.

Goalkeeper Howard, 33, was a member of the Everton team that drew 0-0 at Southampton on Monday as David Moyes' side closed to within three points of the top four. Everton are known for being slow starters in previous Premier League campaigns, with a decent run of form after the turn of the year leaving them in the hunt for European qualification.

But this season they picked up a good haul of points before Christmas and Howard wants that to continue until May.

He said: "It is going to be a matter of whether we can put two halves together. "That is what everyone is wondering and it is our job to keep it up and keep our levels high. "When we don't perform well we need to get something out of it and so at the moment that is working." Moyes said the draw at St Mary's was a missed opportunity for his side, but Howard is pleased to keep the points tally ticking over with so many big clubs targeting a top-four finish.

He said: "It is easy to say 'what if?' but I always think if we can keep picking up points here and there it is better than a loss. It just depends how you look at it.

"We are right there in the mix and it is going to go week-to-week now.

"We are three points off Spurs, Liverpool are four points behind us and Arsenal are four [points behind] with a game in hand, so if everyone does their job, it is going to be basically who wins the head-to-head battles."

Source: team_talk