EVERTON midfielder Tim Cahill is looking to Europe - but first has to get past a resurgent Birmingham City.
Everton, with five wins in their last seven games, face a Birmingham side at Goodison Park tomorrow that have won just one away game in the Barclays Premier League this term.
But Cahill still expects a tough game and does not believe Birmingham's takeover saga is affecting their players.
He said: "There is a lot going on at Birmingham off the pitch, but they had a great win last weekend against Wigan, a good comeback, so I have no doubt it will be another hard game for us.
"It will be tough for us after our two games this week, the win at Derby and now the Carling Cup success at Luton in extra time.
"But hopefully the confidence is high and we will be able to push ourselves up the table and add to this run we are having at the moment."
Everton will move straight from the Birmingham match into preparation for Thursday's second UEFA Cup group match away to Nurnberg.
Cahill said: "We can handle it. We have a lot of players coming back from injury and just a great squad.
"We all play for each other, there are no individuals and no superstars here. And now we are in the Carling Cup quarter-finals as well as being in Europe.
"It is just a bit of extra spice being in the two cups and it puts pressure on players.
"Only time will tell if we can secure a European spot again. We have a chance now, I suppose the missing ingredient has been that we've always wanted this European football and now we have a chance to produce it.
"It is up to the players and the staff to make this happen, and we'll just wait and see."
He added: "It was always going to be a test against Luton but we did really well, we worked so hard and I thought it was a great team performance.
"The momentum is with us now. We have won three games on the trot now and we have to keep it going."
But Cahill still expects a tough game and does not believe Birmingham's takeover saga is affecting their players.
He said: "There is a lot going on at Birmingham off the pitch, but they had a great win last weekend against Wigan, a good comeback, so I have no doubt it will be another hard game for us.
"It will be tough for us after our two games this week, the win at Derby and now the Carling Cup success at Luton in extra time.
"But hopefully the confidence is high and we will be able to push ourselves up the table and add to this run we are having at the moment."
Everton will move straight from the Birmingham match into preparation for Thursday's second UEFA Cup group match away to Nurnberg.
Cahill said: "We can handle it. We have a lot of players coming back from injury and just a great squad.
"We all play for each other, there are no individuals and no superstars here. And now we are in the Carling Cup quarter-finals as well as being in Europe.
"It is just a bit of extra spice being in the two cups and it puts pressure on players.
"Only time will tell if we can secure a European spot again. We have a chance now, I suppose the missing ingredient has been that we've always wanted this European football and now we have a chance to produce it.
"It is up to the players and the staff to make this happen, and we'll just wait and see."
He added: "It was always going to be a test against Luton but we did really well, we worked so hard and I thought it was a great team performance.
"The momentum is with us now. We have won three games on the trot now and we have to keep it going."
Copyright (c) Press Association
Related Articles

Postecoglou looking to A-League to 'develop young talent'
.jpeg&h=172&w=306&c=1&s=1)
Big change set to give Socceroos star new lease on life in the EPL
