EVERTON (FFT 2025-26 SEASON PREVIEW)

OLD MANAGER BOUNCE 

From Moyes’ first victory after returning to Everton in January, only Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea won more points

LAST SEASON

• PREMIER LEAGUE 13th
• FA CUP Fourth Round
• LEAGUE CUP Third Round

TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS)

• Iliman Ndiaye (11)

MINUTES

1. J. Pickford (3,420)

2. V. Mykolenko (3,084)

3. Idrissa (Gana) Gueye (3,070)

ASSISTS

1. Dwight McNeil (6)

=2. I. Gueye, C. Alcaraz, Ashley Young (3)

GOALS

1. Iliman Ndiaye (9)

2. Beto (8)

3. Dwight McNeil (4)

JIM KEOGHAN @Jim_Keoghan

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THE PLAN

Everton’s recent running-on-fumes reality has presented David Moyes and the club’s new owners, the Friedkin Group, with a significant challenge – they went into July with 15 senior players, plus a few youngsters returning from loans. 

Several positions are in need of urgent attention and a competitive squad will be hard to build. Along with arrivals – a new right-back is essential – this will also include keeping hold of key men, although linchpin Jarrad Branthwaite has signed a new deal. 

The Toffees’ more favourable financial outlook does help, thanks to the new stadium (above), the resolution of ownership issues and a relative easing of PSR headaches.

THE COACH

At 62, David Moyes is the third-oldest manager in the 92, but he made Everton look like Everton again: hard-working and defensively robust, with attacking quality as well. There is hope that he’ll banish the spectre of the drop and even get the club pushing for Europe.

KEY PLAYER - Jordan Pickford

With 12 clean sheets last term and numerous match-winning saves, Jordan Pickford is consistently one of the main reasons Everton are still in the Premier League. As the song clearly states, “He hates Newcastle, he hates the Sh*te, Jordan Pickford is dynamite.”

LESSON FROM LAST YEAR

Play to the end: Everton conceded twice as many goals (22) as they scored (11) in the last half-hour of games. 

But above all, the contrast between the Sean Dyche-imposed purgatory and a more free-flowing period under Moyes illustrated that when Everton play with an eased handbrake, they give most teams a game. 

Dyche spoke of ‘alignment’ – a sense of connection that should exist between fans and players – but seemed to forget that part of this is the latter entertaining the former. 

Moyes brought back the joy of watching Everton. James Tarkowski equalising with a volley in the last minute of a Merseyside derby will have that effect...

THE MOOD

Evertonians are a half-empty sort – some doubt there’s a glass in the first place. Yet optimism may be in the air. The resolution of so many of the Toffees’ recent issues has supporters believing better times could be on the (distant) horizon.

ONE TO WATCH - Charly Alcaraz

Charly Alcaraz. The 22-year-old Argentine arrived on loan from Flamengo to little fanfare in January, but two goals, a host of impressive performances and a combative approach did much to raise his standing. With his move now made permanent, the former Southampton scuttler looks primed to fill the club’s Abdoulaye Doucoure-shaped hole.

MOST LIKELY TO…

Quicken the pulse. While long accustomed to the anxiety-driven elevated heart rate (see Michael Keane defending), Evertonians finally have a player in Iliman Ndiaye who can get the heart racing for the right reasons.

LEAST LIKELY TO…

Retire: Seamus Coleman, 36. Given how rarely he is on the pitch now, the club captain could probably keep going into his seventies.

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FFT VERDICT: 14th

Moyes will miss Goodison’s home comforts while rebuilding a squad almost from scratch. It’ll take time.

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TITLE ODDS

250/1

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VIEW FROM THE STANDS

JOE STRANGE @joe_strange

The big talking point is 

how David Moyes uses the Friedkin Group’s first summer transfer budget to fix a squad that needs strengthening all over.

I won’t be happy unless

we sign a right-back. Jake O’Brien did an excellent job last season, but we can’t keep neglecting it.

Our most underrated

player is Jordan Pickford. The disrespect he still receives from some quarters is baffling.

Look out for 

Harrison Armstrong, who caught the eye on loan at Derby.

The active player I’d love to have back is 

Ademola Lookman. We didn’t make the most of his talent the first time around.

The pantomime villain will be

the now-departed Dominic Calvert-Lewin. There’s a section of the fanbase that’ll never be happy with him.

The thing my club really gets right 

is making Goodison Park the home of the women’s team. The one change I’d make would be to stop raising season ticket prices. Mine is up £200 in recent years.

The opposition player who grinds my gears is

Anthony Gordon, who missed training while he was forcing a transfer, then celebrated Everton’s demise, and loves a dive.

I’m most looking forward to visiting 

the beautiful, Hill Dickinson Stadium, AKA Bramley-Moore.

I’m least looking forward to playing 

Liverpool. It’s rarely enjoyable, despite recent great moments.

Fans think our gaffer is 

restoring pride and belief to a broken fanbase.

We’ll finish 

9th.

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FIXTURES

AUGUST

18 Leeds (A)

23 Brighton (H)

30 Wolves (A)

SEPTEMBER

13 Aston Villa (H)

20 Liverpool (A)

27 West Ham (H)

OCTOBER

4 Crystal Palace (H)

18 Man City (A)

25 Tottenham (H)

NOVEMBER

1 Sunderland (A)

8 Fulham (H)

22 Man United (A)

29 Newcastle (H)

DECEMBER

3 Bournemouth (A)

6 Nott’m Forest (H)

13 Chelsea (A)

20 Arsenal (H)

27 Burnley (A)

30 Nott’m Forest (A)

JANUARY

3 Brentford (H)

7 Wolves (H)

17 Aston Villa (A)

24 Leeds (H)

31 Brighton (A)

FEBRUARY

7 Fulham (A)

11 Bournemouth (H)

21 Man United (H)

28 Newcastle (A)

MARCH

4 Burnley (H)

14 Arsenal (A)

21 Chelsea (H)

APRIL

11 Brentford (A)

18 Liverpool (H)

25 West Ham (A)

MAY

2 Man City (H)

9 Crystal Palace (A)

17 Sunderland (H)

24 Tottenham (A)