EVERTON manager David Moyes cannot quite bring himself to admit their relegation worries are over but he has started tentatively planning for next season.

A 14-point gap to third-bottom Ipswich suggests any concerns about dropping out of the top flight should have been dispelled.

And while Moyes is still targeting the 40-point mark, even though that is likely more than needed to assure safety, he has challenged a number of his players who are out of contract in the summer to prove they have longer-term futures at the club.

“We used to always talk about 40 points as managers and I think because I’m an old one I think I’m going to keep talking about 40 points,” he said ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Brentford.

“For us, whether are in the bottom three or out of it, we’ve got to try to make sure that we’re getting to 40 points or more if we possibly can.

“I want to be positive and I want to say that we’re going to be in the Premier League. That’s the way I feel and that’s what I’m saying to the players.

“We still have work to do to do that but I do think that we have to start making some initial plans and getting things in place for hopefully another year in the Premier League.”

There are eight first-team players — including the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, captain Seamus Coleman and Abdoulaye Doucoure — whose contracts expire in the summer, with a further four on loan who are looking for permanent deals at the end of the season.

Moyes, who has taken 14 points from the last 18 since returning to the club last month, believes the incentive for them is to continue the recent upward trend in form.

“I actually think the players here have got something to show,” he added. “They all have to show to show to this new manager how they can perform.

“They’ve done great for me in the opening games. I’d hate to think that for them the season is only the 26 games we’ve played at the moment.

“All the players will want their futures sorted out but I think this club’s just got its future sorted out.

“It’s only recently got new owners in who were just beginning to filter into the building and starting to get used to them being around.

“I’ve said — and I think the owners have stated, more importantly than me — that until we’re completely safe then we’re not really looking at anyone’s contracts so we’ll wait till that point. But hopefully we can do that sooner rather than later.”

Moyes has guided Everton to the safety of 14th with the top half now within eight points and he is intent on chasing down the likes of Wednesday’s opponents, who are six points ahead in 11th.

“I want to try and chase down whichever teams are above us if I can do,” he said.

“It feels like we’re a team who are on the up and a team who are trying to push to the middle half of the table and I hope that is the case.”