Moyes celebrated 10 years at Goodison Park this week and has been lauded for his longevity in the hire-and-fire culture of the Premier League as well as for his ability to create a reliable team on modest resources.
What he has not done is brought a trophy to the club whose glory days of the 1980s are getting ever more distant.
By effectively sacrificing Merseyside bragging rights by fielding a weakened team for Tuesday's 3-0 league defeat at Liverpool, Moyes made it clear what took precedence this season.
"I think you have to juggle your squad and decide where you prioritise," he told reporters.
"The boys have been doing really well and hopefully we can continue the decent cup run we have had," said defender Phil Jagielka.
"After Tuesday's result it puts a little bit more pressure on the cup because 3-0 is not good enough."
While Moyes has been praised for his work at Everton, with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson hailing his "grittiness" in doing an "amazing job", trophies are not the only thing lacking.
They have managed only 28 goals in 28 league games but have also been miserly at the back by letting in just 31 goals, suggesting Saturday's encounter is likely to be a tight affair.
Bolton's trip to North London is a chance for both clubs to enjoy some light relief from the league.
Spurs's grip on third spot has loosened after three successive defeats while Owen Coyle's Bolton are deep in relegation trouble.
Liverpool will hope for a second trip to Wembley this season, having won last month's League Cup final to collect their first silverware since the 2006 FA Cup.
Having lost last year's final to Manchester City, Stoke will feel they have some unfinished business in the competition.
