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THE SIGHT of Robin Van Persie in a Manchester United shirt alongside Wayne Rooney might be enough to chill the blood of many opposition managers, but David Moyes is not losing any sleep about the formidable new duo his team will face for Monday night’s Premier League Goodison opener.

While Everton’s boss is quick to acknowledge the statement of intent made by his occasional mentor Alex Ferguson in landing the prolific Dutchman, he is far from discontent with his own dealings in the transfer market so far this summer.

And while Fergie shelled out £22m for a 29-year-old designed to be a title-winning game changer, Moyes is confident his more modestly-priced recuits can, as ever, make their own impact.

“I think they (United) have made some good signings, bought some young players and bought one who is maybe a little bit older than they normally do,” he says.

“But he's a seriously good player who you would expect will make a big difference and be a big help to an already good side. Good players find a way of playing with each other and I'm sure that's what Rooney and Van Persie will do in the end too.

“I always said if we could start the season with the group we finished with then I would be pleased because we had a good end to last season. Can we keep that going? Can we keep them fit? That's the bigger thing.”

Steven Naismith arrived on a free transfer from Rangers in July, and even if Everton must eventually pay the Scottish Newco a fee for the 25-year-old, Moyes likes what he has seen to date, as he prepares to hand him a home debut against the Red Devils.

“I think he'll turn into a really good Everton player,” he says. “His work rate, his energy, the type of lad he is, I think will fit in well with what we've got here. He can finish as well and has got a goal scoring record.

“More importantly he can play two or three positions for us.”

As he prepares for United’s visit Moyes is also busy trying to make moves in the transfer market in the wake of Jack Rodwell’s £12m exit, a task which he knows is vital with his squad high on ability but short on numbers.

“The main people we needed to get we have got. Steven Pienaar has been here for most of the pre season and I think that's been good for us,” he says.

“My intention was not to lose any players. I know there's one or two gone like Yobo, Cahill and Rodwell but I don't feel as though it's had too big an impact on the team. It's had an impact on the squad but not on the team.

“I hope I'm able to cope without them. I feel as though I have got a team - I'm not too sure I've got a squad.

“We have lost Royston, Denis, McFadden, Marcus, Tim and Jack. That's six boys. Joe was obviously out on loan and we've only really brought in two so I'm a little bit worried about the numbers. But I'm quite comfortable with the team.”

As is almost a tradition before recent seasons, Moyes must field questions about his attempts to tinker with his squad’s summer schedule in order to prevent their perennial slow start.

This year the answer, unusually for the hardest of taskmasters, was more rest and less play.

“We came back and I actually gave the players another five days holiday in the middle of it,” he admits. “So I changed things a little bit. I just didn't want them to be bored or even worn out by the start of the season.

“We've changed that around and I gave them a bit more holiday time to see if we could go into the season a wee bit fresher. The one good year we did get off to a good start we made the Champions League.”

In Jack Rodwell’s case, playing in the Champions League this season is a real possibility with Manchester City, and Moyes feels the time was right for the 21-year-old to move on.

He says: “It was the right decision at the time for Jack. It gave him an opportunity to go and further his career and I also think it was right for us.

“It wasn't something we had to do, it was just something that gives me a little bit of money to play around with.

“I did say at the end of last season that we might need to trade a little bit to generate some money.

“Jack's a really good player and he will go on to prove that. I just felt it was right. We don't need to sell any players now - that's for sure. I'm able to keep roughly the team in place which finished last season.”