JOHN CARVER will attempt to pile more post-European misery on Everton boss Roberto Martinez tomorrow, but the Newcastle head coach feels sympathy for his compatriot at Goodison Park and his coaching staff.

Everton were in Europa League action on Thursday night, coming from behind to claim a 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev, and of the eight matches they have played in the immediate aftermath of European action this season, the Merseysiders have claimed just two victories.

Newcastle experienced similar struggles two seasons ago as their run to the quarter-finals of the Europa League was accompanied by a lacklustre league campaign that eventually saw them finish in 16th position.

Carver was working alongside Alan Pardew throughout that campaign, and just as his former colleague regularly bemoaned the impact of so many Europa League matches, so the interim boss also feels the schedule of European football’s secondary competition is much too onerous for all but the biggest clubs to withstand.

“I have sympathy for Roberto and anybody in a similar situation,” said Carver. “You ask Tony Pulis - he was manager at Stoke. Ask any of these managers who qualified for Europe how it affects your league form. You all start fighting for your lives down the bottom of that league table - it's not easy.

“They've (UEFA) got to do something about it. They had a fantastic idea with allowing the winners to qualify for the Champions League - I think that’s a great incentive. But when you work so hard to get your team into a position to qualify for it and then you’ve got to play so many games that it’s detrimental to your bread and butter, which is Premier League football, it’s taking away from it.

“Look at Tottenham - they have a massive squad and were almost playing two different sides. That’s how they coped with it - Everton can’t, we can’t, Stoke couldn’t. There’s other teams as well.”

With the financial benefits of a lengthy Europa League run minimal, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is known to regard the competition as something of an unwanted hindrance.

What impact that would have if the Magpies were to find themselves in contention for European qualification remains to be seen, but despite the negative impact on league form, Carver insists he would not swap the memories of 2013’s charge to the last eight.

“Cast your mind back to playing against Benfica at their stadium,” he said. “I've still got photos on my phone because it was a great occasion. What an occasion it was - everyone went for it.

The Northern Echo: GAME ON: Alan Pardew tries to lift his players after falling behind in the Stadium of Light in Benfica, as the glum Newcastle bench look on.

“We went for it at home as well, but we all know what came after that - Sunderland. We looked like we were out on our legs. There was nothing and everyone said there was no fight, no passion, no nothing. It wasn’t that - it was because we gave everything on the Thursday night and then played Sunderland with hardly any recovery. We simply had no time to prepare.”