The Everton manager spoke to the media on Tuesday ahead of the Merseyside derby
David Moyes has admitted it is “hard” to see Arne Slot faring so well at Liverpool as Everton boss, although praised the work being done by the Dutchman ahead of the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.
The Reds head to Goodison Park with a six-point advantage over Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. They can move nine clear with a victory, with just 14 matches remaining.
Moyes has recently returned to the Blues after replacing the sacked Sean Dyche. While Everton were beaten 2-0 by AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup on Saturday, in the Premier League they have registered three successive wins to pull clear of relegation trouble.
Nevertheless, Moyes was well aware of the challenge facing his team in the upcoming fixture and shared his admiration for the job being done by Slot at his press conference on Tuesday.
“They had a fantastic coach in Jurgen Klopp,” said the Scot. “Who made Liverpool so good over so many years. You saw how often they were competing with Manchester City for titles and cups.
“I’m amazed at how well Slot has done to be honest, coming in after Jurgen. I have to say, he’s done a great job hasn’t he? [Which is] hard to say when you’re sitting in this seat! He’s done a great job, he’s done it very smoothly and he’s got the team playing well.”
Moyes was also asked for some of his earliest derby memories, given this will be Slot’s first in charge.
The Everton boss admitted the gap between the two clubs has widened significantly since he first left the Blues back in 2012 and spoke about the challenges of trying to bridge that gap against such strong rivals.
“The gap between the two clubs at the moment is as big as it’s been for a long time,” he said. “So it’s something I have to bridge between the two clubs, bring them close together. Well, I certainly need to bring my club closer to their club if I can.
“At that time I think the derbies were a bit more competitive. Liverpool were still always difficult to overcome. But it was only in the last couple of years [of Moyes’ first spell in charge] when we finished above them in the Premier League.
So it’s something we have to try and aim to do again. The only reason I say that is because they are a really sort of a good guide. If you’re finishing above Liverpool you’re finishing really high in the league.”
