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Schneiderlin: Everton can catch Liverpool, Manchester United

Lee Smith / Reuters

Morgan Schneiderlin backs his new club Everton to be a late competitor for the Premier League's European places, and potentially leapfrog archrival Liverpool and his former employer Manchester United in the process.

Schneiderlin ended a sorry two-and-a-half-season spell at United in January when he moved to Everton for £20 million and, after appearing in three wins and a draw for the Toffees, has his eyes set on a continental adventure next term.

The blue half of Merseyside is currently five points short of sixth-place United, and six adrift of Liverpool, which has an uncertain hold on the automatic Europa League qualification place after a bad run of three points from an available 15.

"We want to finish high and catch the teams above us," Schneiderlin told Sky Sports.

"Liverpool are six points clear, Manchester United are five - so why not? We can catch them if we had a good run of games. We need to finish strong so we want to give the fans Europa League football for next season and build a platform."

At Goodison Park, Schneiderlin reunited with Ronald Koeman, the Johan Cruyff-inspired tactician the Frenchman worked with at Southampton. He's joined a side with steadily growing expectations due to the cash injection from new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri. Three years down the line, Champions League football could finally be at Everton after being kicked out of the third qualifying round in 2005.

Under Koeman, Schneiderlin believes the improvements at this storied yet underachieving outfit will come.

"He says what he thinks, but that's important," Schneiderlin continued.

"He wants the players to improve. But he is very calm. He keeps his head on his shoulders no matter if things are going well or bad.

"He tries to say good things and keep it straight. He is a winner - as both a player and as a manager, so it's important we do this for him."

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