David Moyes believes he has a squad good enough to win the Uefa Cup and qualify for next season's Champions League.

The Everton manager arrived in Scandinavia with a depleted party for tomorrow's Uefa Cup last-32 first-leg clash with Norwegian champions Brann Bergen but believing he is on the brink of major achievement in Europe.

Currently fourth in the Premier League, despite injuries and having players away at the African Nations Cup, the Champions League is in Everton's sights.

If they can overcome a difficult, but modest, Brann team over two legs — the second being at Goodison Park next Thursday — Moyes will be in touching distance of continental success.

He said: "We have the squad to win the Uefa Cup and qualify for the Champions League. I do not see it as a choice, nobody can pick the one they want. But our squad is good enough. We have coped recently with a lot of players missing and we are still in fourth spot in the league.

"We will be missing more for this game, but that is how it has been for the past few weeks. But we have coped. Injuries, suspensions and the African Nations Cup have stretched us.

"Now I hope we can cope with the remaining 12 Premier League games with all our players coming back, and another half dozen in the Uefa Cup. It is not beyond us."

Everton are without midfielder Mikel Arteta (groin) and colleague Steven Pienaar (ankle), while Thomas Gravesen was also not in the travelling party.

But top-scorer Ayegbeni Yakubu was on the plane to Norway. Fined and dropped for the weekend win over Reading, the Nigerian has apologised for his late return from the African tournament and can expect to start against Brann.

Moyes said: "The Yakubu situation is finished. He is here and we have moved on, and we have a good squad with him here. But losing Mikel Arteta is a massive blow. He is a big player for our team and to lose him from such an important game is a major blow. You need your best players for this sort of game."