Both sides have forced their way into contention for a coveted top-four finish this season but have gone about it in completely different ways.

For Everton, a second bite at Champions League football would be the culmination of more than six years of careful construction under Moyes' stewardship.

While City, blessed with the deep pockets of millionaire owner Thaksin Shinawatra, have taken just six months to transform their fortunes.

Moyes' name has been linked with the managerial vacancy at Newcastle, a club at which he would enjoy similar spending power to City counterpart Sven-Goran Eriksson.

But the Scot has no intention of leaving Goodison Park any time soon.

"I'm more interested in the team I'm building at Everton," he said of the Newcastle speculation.

Should Everton win tomorrow, they would climb above their opponents and possibly into fourth place.

Moyes said: "Manchester City have probably been in the top four or five all season.

"It's been a tough ask to try and claw them back.

"This game gives us an opportunity to really catch up on them."

He added: "Manchester City have come in one fell swoop from being a club at the bottom last year, spent a load of cash and - I've got to say - spent it well.

"We're different. We've done it over five or six years now.

"Nevertheless, we all want the same thing and that's trying to break into that top four."

That mission will be aided by the return from suspension of Mikel Arteta and a second loan spell at the club for Manuel Fernandes.

The Portugal midfielder was undergoing a medical this afternoon and Moyes was hoping he would be available tomorrow.

"We're a little bit short in the midfield areas," Moyes said.

"He'll give us that added competition.

"Maybe he'll have something to prove as well. We always want hungry players."

Fernandes almost joined Everton permanently in the summer but the third-party ownership of the player proved an impossible obstacle and he signed instead for Valencia for $30million.

If he repeats the form shown in his first spell at the club, Moyes is certain to want to keep him again.

But the manager warned: "Whether we'll be able to afford him is another question."

Fernandes' arrival will also help fill the whole left by the loss of Joseph Yobo, Steven Pienaar and Ayegbeni Yakubu to African Nations Cup duty.

Moyes admits only time will tell whether they are sorely missed.

"I hope we can cope - I can't turn around and say 'no we can't cope'," he said.

"Maybe we'll answer the question in five or six weeks' time."

With his playing pool reduced, Moyes understandably is loath to let anyone leave Goodison Park during the January transfer window.

Birmingham are rumoured to be preparing an increased bid for striker James McFadden after making an initial $5million offer.

"As you'd expect, we've said no to that," said Moyes, who celebrates 10 years in management tomorrow.

He joked: "That's where the wrinkles are coming from, the greyness - and maybe the grumpiness as well."

While most managers can expect to have lost more than one job during that time, Moyes is one of a handful to have enjoyed continuous employment during his football career.

"I'm quite pleased about that because you look at the managers getting sacked left, right and centre," he said.

"I started out as a 16-year-old at Celtic and I don't think there's been a day when I've not been employed as a footballer, a football coach or a manager."