• Draw at Everton ‘lifts spirits and confidence’
• ‘What matters is what we do on the pitch,’ says manager

Gianfranco Zola said West Ham United had delivered the perfect response to their critics – inside and outside the club – after his relegation‑threatened team ended Everton’s seven-match winning run at Goodison Park and eased the pressure on their besieged manager.

The draw put the Hammers a point ahead of third-from-bottom Hull City, albeit having played a game more. Zola has endured a turbulent spell of public criticism from the West Ham co-owner David Sullivan.

“This is the right way to respond,” said Zola, who had questioned his future at the club following a defeat by Stoke City last weekend. “What matters is what we do on the pitch. The only way to respond is through football. We cannot stop the criticism. People want to give their opinions and judge us but we showed today that we are 100% focused on football.

“I’ve no other feelings apart from being pleased for my team. It is a difficult situation but we don’t want to stop fighting. That was what we said to the players before the game. All the team decided to fight until the end. No matter what, we’re going to fight until the end of the season and today was a clear demonstration of that because we never gave up.”

While the result at Goodison has not improved West Ham’s survival prospects dramatically – and while they will be without the influential Scott Parker for their next two matches, after the midfielder collected his 10th booking of the season – Zola believes the point gained will have a major influence on the morale of his squad.

Zola, who saw his striker Mido miss a first‑half penalty, said: “We are still very

• Manager says it is essential for his and the team’s development
• But they will have to fight ‘incredibly hard’ after a poor start

David Moyes said yesterday that Everton can qualify for European football next season and that it was essential to the progress of the club and his development as a manager.

Everton have played in European competition in four of the past five seasons under Moyes only for a miserable start to this campaign to diminish their prospects of a return. Eight league games unbeaten, however, have lifted Everton to ninth in the table and Moyes has challenged his players to continue their impressive qualifying record with a sustained run of form.

“I’m ambitious and I want to be managing in European competition. I tell the players that. I want them to have the same drive as me,” said Moyes, whose side travels to Wigan Athletic this afternoon. “In the past few years, we have been closer to it but this year we are not. We are going to have to fight incredibly hard and somehow scrape in by the skin of our teeth. But we have to keep believing we can make it.”

Everton face Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League next month and Moyes admits the club would sorely miss European competition if they fell short this season. He added: “European football has helped both me and the team develop. It has been good for us and want to make it last so we will try and push again, there is a long way to go but we will see if we can finish in the top half and see what happens. I would miss it, the players would, and so would the club.

“Good players want to play in Europe, and we want to be there to make us attractive to these players. Players want to see European football. They want the Champions League, and if not that, the Europa League is the next best thing. We have to show potential. We have to show people this is where we should be, where we hope to be, and that we are making headway and moving in the right direction.”

David MoyesEvertonPremier LeagueAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk