Distin: We deserve more credit

Everton defender Sylvain Distin insists his side are not over-achieving and deserve more credit for their continued success.

The Goodison Park side lie seventh in the Premier League, one place and a point above their city rivals Liverpool, and face a crunch FA Cup semi-final with Kenny Dalglish’s side next weekend.

Distin feels his side are not punching above their weight this campaign.

“I have never understood this over-performing tag,” the Frenchman told The Sunday Express.

“That must mean we are supposed to be rubbish. Punching above your weight to me means you are in a place you shouldn’t be because you are not good enough.

“You can punch above your weight maybe for one season, two seasons if you’re lucky, but it seems Everton tend to do it every season.

“The media seem to like to talk about Everton like this. But the truth is we have enough quality at the club.”

David Moyes recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary at Goodison Park and, despite not winning any trophies, he has enjoyed the success of finishing fourth in the 2004/05 season and reaching the 2009 FA Cup final – doing so on a shoe-string budget.

Distin believes the lack of turnover in players is reflected in the team’s success.

“We know in every transfer window we are not going to have four, five, six players coming in, but not having a big squad means the team is closer, more together,” he said.

“That’s one of our strengths.

“I suppose this punching above your weight talk is because of how much money some teams have spent on players, but it’s about how you spend rather than how much you spend.”