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DAVID MOYES senses it’s that time of year again. No, not when you can’t walk into a shop in town without being prematurely subjected to Slade or Shakin’ Stevens, but the period when injuries pile-up, the temperature plummets, and his players need the Goodison crowd at its fiercest best.

Nobody is panicking at Finch Farm, even if just one victory in their last six Premier League outings suggests the Blues’ momentum has slowed - but Moyes knows home comforts could be essential to ensure three much-needed points against a buoyant Norwich City today.

“We’ll have our work cut out and it will be another tough game,” says the Blues boss who is likely to have to contend with a string of injuries amidst his defensive ranks this afternoon.

“We might have to be patient and wait. We will need the crowd to think that way as well.

“We’ve told the players to keep doing what they are doing, convert more of our opportunities into chances and more of our chances into goals.

“Goodison is a great place to play and that’s why it’s important the supporters are there and make the difference.

“Against Sunderland in the last home game, we got to 1-1 and then we scored our next goal three or four minutes after.

“I thought that was because of the crowd’s enthusiasm. They realised the team were right at it and they knew that we hadn’t played that badly.

“It looked like a game that was going against us, so we will need that support again now we have got two games at home.”

Over the last six games Everton have scored 10 goals but conceded just as many, and Moyes is keen to get the balance right to ensure his side get the results they deserve.

“There’s been a couple of games where we maybe should have scored more but we’ve also got to make sure when we’re not scoring that we don’t concede.

“Our play has been good enough to have merited more goals and everybody’s got to make sure they chip in, the goals have got to come from all departments.

“I’m going out to score and I’m going out to try to win. The best teams get the balance exactly right. But I would still quite happily settle for winning games 1-0, because the job is to win, that’s always the priority.”

The Blues failed to get the balance right at the Madjeski stadium last weekend, as Moyes admitted he had never been angrier with a result. And even though seven days has passed, he still stands by that assessment.

“I was angry because it was a game we should have won,” he says. “I’ve been far more disappointed with games and results I’ve had in my career but I was mad because it was a game against Reading when we had numerous opportunities and as well as that we had a couple of penalty kicks denied.

“I felt if we’d gone two nil up, I wouldn’t say we were home and dry but we were certainly going to be in a much more comfortable position.

“We abused that opportunity by not taking our chances and that was why I was angry. I think we’ve played well but maybe just making the cross or the pass is the problem. We’re making opportunities.”

Everton are definitely without captain Phil Neville after he had a knee operation last week.

Striker Victor Anichebe (hamstring) and defender Tony Hibbert (calf) are still struggling but winger Kevin Mirallas (hamstring) and midfielder Darron Gibson (thigh) could play some part.

Gibson’s return to fitness is particularly welcome given he has missed the last 10 games, while the Toffees will also be without key midfielder Marouane Fellaini through suspension.

The Belgium international has been one of the players of the season so far but Moyes is confident others will step into his shoes.

The Toffees boss said: “I don’t think we need to plan any differently. The team’s been playing very well, I know they’re in a good rhythm.

“Obviously Felli’s been an integral part of that so we’ll miss him but we’ll try to find a way of winning with the players we have available.”

Today’s skipper Phil Jagielka was quick to echo his manager’s call for clear heads and a clean slate after last weekend’s frustration.

While he’s aware of the threat that Chris Hughton’s team pose, Jagielka is confident the Blues can return to winning ways following the slip at Reading.

He said: “We can’t get hung up on results - Reading is a hard place to go, we should have done better but we didn’t.

“There are plenty more games left in the season and we have still got a decent platform to kick-on from.

“Norwich had a fantastic result at the weekend. We struggled against them last year and drew so we know it’s going to be a really tough game.

“We’ve obviously got a few injuries and Felli is suspended. It’s going to test the squad but I’m sure the boys will be up for it and step up to the plate come Saturday.”