Last Updated: Thu, 01 May 2008 09:08
Everton are returning to form at just the right time to ensure a Uefa Cup spot according to skipper Phil Neville.
The season has threatened to come unravelled after a poor run of form which has seen them pick up just one win in their last seven matches, but Neville believes the display against rivals Aston Villa shows that they are back on song.
He told the Daily Post: "I think you could see the energy coming back (on Sunday). Osman, Pienaar, Fernandes, Arteta in the second half all played with energy. Yakubu looked like he was getting back to his best and AJ (Andrew Johnson) always gives you that energy anyway.
"There was energy from our front players, which we have not had in the last month." Neville believes the exit for the Uefa Cup on penalties to Fiorentina is to blame for their poor run.
He continued: "In terms of the Fiorentina result it was the manner we got beat. If Fiorentina had come here and beat us two or three nil, we could have accepted that but to go out on penalties when we were by far the best team so it probably hit us harder than we thought."