Jagielka feels at home - Moyes’ judgment spot on as defender delivers

As a nervy Phil Jagielka made an increasingly uncertain start to his Everton career, few went along with the party line that he would prove to be £4.5million well spent — not even the former Sheffield United defender himself.

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Moyes stuck to it and the dissenters have finally been silenced by the emergence of the polished, assured centre-back he always insisted his summer signing would become.

A match-winning 62nd-minute header doubtless endeared Jagielka all the more to Goodison regulars, but it was an intervention at the other end that did most to underline his growing stature.

Six minutes from time, substitute Jimmy Kebe pounced on a rare misjudgment by Joleon Lescott and looked certain to equalise until Everton's defender launched himself in the way of the goalbound, close-range shot.

The same level of awareness had already denied Reading a few minutes earlier, but it was the sight of recently established England defender Lescott being bailed out in such decisive style that provided the true gauge of how far Jagielka has progressed in recent weeks. After Moyes saw his side safeguard fourth place in the league with this hard-earned win over a resilient Reading, he revealed how the player was tortured by misgivings about whether he could make the grade at Goodison.

"He had a few doubts about himself in the early days,~" said Moyes, "and there were times when he seemed to wonder whether he had taken a step too far. It was a step up for him and it's not always easy settling in straight away and proving you are up to it.

"But I never had any doubts. I knew what he was about and took the chance to tell him so whenever I thought he needed lifting. I would say things to him in training and make sure he worked hard at raising his whole tempo and gradually we are seeing him take it on board and grow in confidence.

"He was outstanding in this game, not just for his goal, but that saving tackle when we were in danger of dropping two points. He can be a great player for us in a number of roles and I think the supporters now realise he can be relied on every week."

Jagielka said: "I would love to have come here and been a fans' favourite within a month, but it was always likely to take a little longer. I knew I was coming here to be part of a team, rather than the shining light.

"It was still tough, though. From being a big fish in a small pond and playing every week I was suddenly in a position where, even if I did play, I couldn't be sure of which position. I had friends and family round me who talked me through it and told me to be patient and I think I have cleared that hurdle now."

"It was great to get the winning goal but, as a defender, I take most satisfaction from that challenge at the end."

It is a measure of how Everton have defied the odds that, when asked whether Chelsea might be within reach, Moyes blinked in disbelief and repeated the question.

"Can we catch Chelsea?' he said, clearly taken aback. 'That's a new one. What will it be after that, the top two? We will set our sights as high as possible but we still have a bit to go before we can start talking like that."

It was realism rather than false modesty from Moyes after Everton made hard work of seeing off Reading, for all the zest added by second-half substitute James Vaughan, whose spectacular overhead kick brought a diving save from Marcus Hahnemann in the 76th minute.

Reading might easily have salvaged a point but Kebe was denied by Jagielka and James Harper clipped a post a minute later and manager Steve Coppell was upbeat despite his side slipping to their seventh successive defeat.

He said: "It showed we have nothing to fear about the 12 remaining games and we can go into them feeling confident about staying up."