Wenger hails the 'miracle' of Moyes

Arsene Wenger declared David Moyes deserves to be named manager of the season for the "miracle" of guiding Everton into the Champions League.

Wenger, whose Arsenal side face Everton at Highbury tonight, believes Moyes's achievement has at least equalled that of Jose Mourinho in winning the Premiership and Carling Cup double with Chelsea. When Arsenal won 4-1 at Everton on the opening day of the season, Wenger thought the Merseyside club would be in trouble and that feeling grew when Wayne Rooney was sold to Manchester United just two weeks later.

But he said today: "What Everton have done is a miracle. After the first game, I thought they would go down and I felt sorry for them. But then they got on a run that has been incredible. I think David Moyes deserves a lot of credit with his staff, and the players as well. Every point they have earned has been through hard work.

"When they sold Rooney, you thought they would struggle not to go down and then, in January, they sold Thomas Gravesen as well."

Asked if Moyes was his manager of the year, Wenger replied: "Certainly, yes. It must be Mourinho and Moyes.

"It just shows how strange and good football can be. Moyes was the bet to be one of the first managers sacked in the league.

"Now he is maybe the guy who deserves more reward than anyone else."