Everton legend Andy Gray has told the Toffees they must be aiming for the top six this season and simply finishing inside the top ten cannot be judged as good enough. 

Toffees boss Marco Silva was backed in the transfer market in the summer Premier League window as he looked to strengthen his squad, but the Portuguese is already coming under pressure.

 



Everton finished just eighth in the Premier League last season and Gray wants his former club to aim much, much higher this season.

He believes that while Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur look out of reach, there are genuine question marks over Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

 


The top six is not out of reach, Gray feels, and has urged Everton to pull out all the stops to finish in the upper echelons.


 


Gray said on beIN SPORT: "I see Chelsea, getting used to Frank [Lampard]. Great result against Wolves, but who knows how their season is going to go.

"I see an Arsenal side conceding loads of goals, looking great going forward, but just like Arsene [Wenger’s] was.

 

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"And I see a Manchester United side that I am not sure of.

"So I don't see a definitive that if a team has a good season they can't get near the top six. I think they can get near the top six.

"Everton have got to start aiming high. It's not good enough for me to say after all the money spent, and everything that's been done at the club recently, if we get top ten it's a great season – no, it's not.

"Everton have to be shooting for the top six", he added.

Following Everton's 3-1 defeat at Bournemouth on Sunday, they now have a home clash against Sheffield United on the agenda for next weekend, followed by a trip to Sheffield to meet the Blades' neighbours, Sheffield Wednesday, in the third round of the EFL Cup.