Moyes: O'Neill right for Cats

O'Neill returned to management after a 16-month absence to take charge of the Black Cats three weeks ago. Moyes comes up against the Northern Irishman as Everton travel to the Stadium of Light on Boxing Day and he believes O'Neill will soon make an impact in the north east. Moyes said: "I think everybody respects Martin as a manager. "I don't think anyone has a bad word to say about him. They like his interviews, how he speaks. "He is at a really big club, it is a big job. "It is a big club that has tended to spend well in the market and has done a good job supporting managers financially. "If they give that to Martin they will be a force in the next year or so." O'Neill has a strong reputation in the game after impressive spells with Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa. He had been out of the game since leaving Villa in August 2010 but, from initial impressions, Moyes believes that break probably did him good. Moyes, who will have been at the Goodison Park helm for 10 years come next March, said: "I think once you have been out of it and you come back, you are full of it. "No matter what job you are in, if somebody says you can have a break and you don't need to work, when you come back it is great, I am sure. "It has suited Martin. I am not saying it would suit me or anyone else. "Martin is certainly doing what he has done with most clubs he has been at." O'Neill seems to have re-energised Sunderland and has won two of his three games since succeeding Steve Bruce. They are still just three points above the relegation zone but have mid-table Everton, only another three points better off, in their sights. Everton have a good record against them having not lost in their 13 previous meetings, winning 10 of them. But Moyes sees them as a danger, particularly with free-kick specialists such as Sebastian Larsson in their side. Moyes said: "I watched the game against Blackburn when Martin took over and they were a threat. "They then scored on Wednesday from a couple of set-pieces. They have got wonderful delivery from Kieran Richardson and Seb Larsson. "We need to try to make sure we are on the ball and not give too many away." Moyes has been frustrated by a slow start to the season, something which has become a recurring theme in recent years. In each of the past three seasons they have recovered to finish in the top eight and Moyes wants to strengthen in next month's transfer window to ensure a similar recovery. He has already conducted some business in signing United States star Landon Donovan on loan but, more than two years after the club last paid a significant transfer fee, he accepts his options are limited. Moyes said: "Agents are ringing up now and some of the names they are putting in are ridiculous - far too much money for players who are well past it or not at the level we expect. "But that is what you get. You take the calls and listen to it and you decide. "In the past we have tended to look at the loan market and that is probably what we are looking at in this window as well." Moyes sees another striker as a top priority with his side having scored just 17 goals in 16 league games. He said: "If we can get someone who can score goals, that is what we need. "But we have been saying that for a while." Everton are believed to be among the front-runners for highly-rated Cliftonville striker Rory Donnelly, a Northern Ireland Under-21 international, but that might be more with an eye to the future. Moyes said: "I would be surprised if he was for the here and now but who knows?"