Recently by Nick Smith

PHIL JAGIELKA has revealed there is still a steely determination within the Everton squad to hang on to fifth place this weekend.

The climax to the Premier League season is being overshadowed by the build-up to the FA Cup final with Chelsea a week on Saturday.

But there is still some significance attached to Sunday's trip to Fulham as Everton aim to retain the fifth place they achieved last season.

Aston Villa have to win at home to Newcastle and send them down if they are to have any chance of overhauling the Goodison Park outfit and moving into the top five.

PHIL NEVILLE has described Steven Pienaar as Everton's "best player by an absolute mile".

The South African midfielder continued his run of good form at Sunderland, scoring the first goal in the 2-0 victory.

And Neville feels his established combination with Leighton Baines down the left-hand side has been key to the club's resurgence in the second half of the season.

"He has been our best player by an absolute mile," said the Everton captain.

DAVID MOYES has praised Marouane Fellaini's impact in his first season in English football - but thinks Everton won't get the best out of him until next season.

The Belgian finally ditched his notorious afro hairstyle on Saturday, but he carried on his impressive debut campaign in the Premier League with the clinching goal in the 3-1 win over Stoke City.

The 21-year-old was brought in for a club record £15million from Standard Liege at the end of the summer transfer window and Saturday's goal - his sixth of the season - continued to repay the fee.

IT'S becoming a weekly event - spotting significant signs of Everton's progress over the course of David Moyes's seven years in charge, and this season in particular.

Saturday's came in the form of a sense of unease and a hint of bewilderment that Stoke weren't consigned to the rubbish bin as swiftly as the afro wigs.

Because after Jo and Joleon Lescott punctuated a vibrant opening period with early goals, the mood went the same way as Marouane Fellaini's iconic shock of black hair - deflated.

STEVEN PIENAAR has called on his team-mates to carry out a 'slaughter' job on inferior opponents.

Everton only made sure of the points against Stoke on Saturday thanks to an injury-time goal that gave them breathing space at 3-1.

But that scenario would have been avoided if Everton had made the most of their initial superiority.

EVERTON physio Mick Rathbone has confirmed that the size of Victor Anichebe's legs rescued him from serious injury at Newcastle on Sunday.

The Nigerian striker escaped with strained ligament knee damage after the lunge by Kevin Nolan that earned him a red card.

Anichebe was initially convinced he had broken his leg and would miss the rest of the season - a fate Mikel Arteta has suffered following the knee injury he sustained in the same game.

But Rathbone said: "He's got big strong legs and that helps. I think he's just about got away with it.

JACK RODWELL is ready to take the next step of establishing himself as an Everton first team regular.

The midfielder signed his expected five-year contract yesterday, still three weeks short of his 18th birthday.

He scored his first senior goal for the club in the 3-1 FA Cup fifth round victory over Aston Villa on Sunday and his new deal is reward for the progress he has made since breaking into David Moyes's squad last season.

Rodwell made his debut in the UEFA Cup group game at Alkmaar last season when he was 16 and he was still days away from his 17th birthday when he made his Premier League bow at Sunderland almost a year ago.

PHIL JAGIELKA thinks dream debutant Jo feels more settled in less than a week at Everton than he did in six months at Manchester City.

The Brazilian endured a miserable time handling the pressure of his £18milllion move to Eastlands from CSKA Moscow.

But Jagielka revealed the confidence was coursing through the forward even before he hit his two goals in the 3-0 win over Bolton.

"We've got a couple of Portuguese-speaking lads, and they've made him feel welcome," said Jagielka, who is hoping to win his second England cap tonight.

SO Everton have to move to Kirkby because they can't transform Goodison Park? Well, they've made a pretty good job of it this season.

Forget the public inquiry, the ground move is complete. From the Goodison Park of August to the Goodison Park of today - two totally different places.

A change so significant it could put Richard Starkey's slot on the next Norwich Union ad under threat.

But while the name is the same, little else is still in evidence.

DAVID MOYES declared that Evertonians will feel like they have won the FA Cup by knocking out Liverpool last night.

But the manager admitted he felt there was more to come from his side after the thrilling extra-time victory over their Merseyside rivals.

Dan Gosling pounced one minute from the end of extra-time to steer in the winning goal and secure a fifth-round home tie with Aston Villa.