Moyes ready for van Gaal

David Moyes has admitted he is looking forward to Everton's match with AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Cup on Thursday. The Everton boss has admitted he is looking forward to testing himself against the Dutchman.

Moyes quipped: "I am a young coach and he is someone I have admired for a while.

"Van Gaal's name is mentioned regularly when you talk about top coaches.

"You always want to come up against the best and I am doing that in the Premier League.

"There you test yourself against the likes of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson."

Everton are making a decent fist of it in Europe after their last experience left them bitterly disappointed.

They were knocked out of the Champions League by Villarreal two seasons ago and then the UEFA Cup by Dinamo Bucharest.

Moyes believes his side are maturing with each passing game in the UEFA Cup.

He said: "European football is still quite new to me as a manager.

"While we qualified for the Champions League, we did not gain enough experience of it.

"This season, we have grown and embraced the UEFA Cup. One thing we have learned is you have to be adaptable in Europe."