Everton's season is in turmoil after a 2-1 defeat by Standard Liege in Belgium ended their hopes of a morale-boosting UEFA Cup run.Manager David Moyes' future is in doubt in the wake of a 4-3 aggregate exit that follows Everton's Carling Cup defeat at Blackburn and Saturday's loss to Liverpool in the Mersey derby.
But the pressure eased on Juande Ramos, the other Premier League manager under the cosh, as Spurs reached the group stages after a 1-1 draw with Wisla Krakow in Poland. Manchester City and Aston Villa also went through.
Moyes has been linked to Newcastle, Tottenham and his former club Celtic as his frustration has grown over the lack of progress at Goodison Park.
But while he is yet to sign a new contract, Moyes insisted: 'I will see it out. I've had some tough situations - all managers face difficult times. There's no divine right to win football games, you have to earn the right to do so. There's no easy ride and this is part of it.'
Everton had pinned their hopes on lifting Moyes' mood with a European adventure but even without Milan Jovanovic's penalty winner, Phil Jagielka's 67th-minute equaliser would not have been enough to see Everton into the group stages after their 2-2 draw in the first leg.
Moyes believed Standard captain Steven Defour was lucky not to have been shown a red card for putting his hands on German referee Peter Sippel. Moyes said: 'In England I think he would've been sent off. Then there was a professional foul that was let go. The crowd did a very good job for Standard tonight.'
Jagielka believes Moyes will not walk away, saying: 'The gaffer will sort his own contract out in his own time. I'm sure he's going to stay.'
