Everton midfielder Leon Osman believes it will be 'a disaster' if the club fail to qualify for the UEFA Cup on the last day of the season.
Wigan-born Osman - who will be 27 on Cup Final day next week - picked up the
club's goal of the season trophy at Wednesday's third annual awards dinner in
Liverpool.
But his mind was very much on Sunday's final home match against Newcastle.
If Everton lose and Aston Villa win at West Ham, then fifth place and UEFA Cup
qualification will be snatched from them, having not been out of the top five
since January.
Osman said: 'Sunday's game means everything to us. Not only to make sure we
are automatically in the UEFA Cup proper, but we don't really want to be left in
the Intertoto Cup.
'With that competition the players have to start back training a couple of
weeks earlier and it means competitive football earlier than it should be for
the lads, with their fitness levels not quite right by then.'
Everton were unlucky to go out of the UEFA Cup this term at the last-16 stage
on penalties to eventual semi-finalists Fiorentina, and they desperately want
another taste of the competition.
Osman, whose stunning goal of the season was scored in the European tie
against Larissa, added: 'We really enjoyed our European experience this season
and not to have it next term would be a disaster for us.
'With the ability we have shown this season and the quality we have got, and
the players we have, we go into Sunday's game with our confidence high.
'If we play to our potential, we should get the result that we require to
make sure of fifth and to complete a fine season.'
Joleon Lescott picked up both main awards, the fans' player of the year and
players' player of the year trophies, while last season's winner Mikel Arteta
was absent from the evening.
Earlier in the day he had undergone a stomach operation in Barcelona to solve
a persistent problem that has dogged him for much of the campaign. He expects to
be fit for next season.
His colleagues will attempt to end their season on a high with a win against
Newcastle, and extend their best-ever Premier League points haul.
