Saha wants top 4 in Premier League

Everton new-boy Louis Saha believes his fledgling partnership with Ayegbeni Yakubu can force Everton into the Premier League's top four.

The French striker has joined Everton after frequent injury problems dogged his Manchester United career.

But Saha believes they are now behind him, and that he can form a front-line pairing with Yakubu that could make the difference between fifth place last season and a top-four finish this term.

He said: 'It is about progression for Everton. When you finish fifth then you want the Champions League the next time. I will try to help them do that, but talk is not good enough.

'I have ambition, Everton are right for me, I would not go to any lower sides. I wanted something that I was used to.

'I still believe I can show the form that persuaded Manchester United to buy me, the worst bit is to be injured so I could not show everything.'

He added: 'Now I just want to get onto the pitch. I scored a lot of goals for United, I know I can do that again.

'If you play a few games you get your confidence back, but then there is an injury and it has been like that for four and a half years.

'Scoring goals is my job. I still believe that I can still do that at the top.

'I am looking forward to a partnership with Yakubu, we both can score goals. I am excited by that.

'I hope the best of me is still to come. I am honest and I want this challenge.'

Saha believes he will be back in action in a month as be battles his latest problem, a calf injury.

He said: 'I have had to move on and I am at a very good club who have the potential to break into the top four.

'It was the right time to leave and joining Everton is a great move for me. A big club with big support.

'Now I put pressure on myself. I know what I want to do, I want to achieve the best. I can do that at Everton and that is my own pressure.

'I had the winning mentality drummed into me at Manchester United; you don't settle for a draw, you want to win. That is the way I have learned to play as a striker.

'For me, I just want to be fit and play games regularly. I was coming back to my best at United, now I feel I need half a dozen games to be at my best.'