Grealish Injury Hits Everton Hard As Moyes Warns Of Longer Absence

Everton prepare to face Leeds United without on-loan midfielder Jack Grealish, whose foot stress fracture threatens to reshape their Premier League run-in. The injury comes just after a 1-0 victory over

Aston Villa, which lifted David Moyes' side into 10th place and had strengthened hopes of a strong finish.

Moyes confirmed Grealish suffered the problem during that narrow win against the midfielder's former club at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Speaking about the setback, Moyes told reporters: "It's not for me to give the timescale, we've not got it yet from the doctors. It's a stress fracture in his foot. That's all I can say. "

The Everton manager stressed how much the midfielder's absence could affect the squad, highlighting his influence since August. Moyes said: "It's a huge blow, he's played an important part for us since the start of the season. We've had a few injuries, but this is a big blow to us. We're in close contact with Manchester City. We'll see how that works as we go along, and as we get more information from the specialist. We're upset for Jack. We're not thinking about [his future]. "

Grealish's numbers underline that concern for Everton. The 30-year-old has featured 22 times in all competitions, scoring two goals and delivering six assists, the highest assist figure in the squad. In Premier League action, Grealish has also created 38 chances, more than any other player available to Moyes this season.

Leeds United travel to Hill Dickinson Stadium sitting 16th in the Premier League, but with improved momentum. Daniel Farke's team hold an eight-point cushion over West Ham in the bottom three. According to the Opta supercomputer, Leeds finished the 2025-26 campaign in the relegation zone in only 6.1% of simulated seasons, reflecting their improved survival prospects.

That improvement followed a crucial 1-0 victory over Fulham at Elland Road, secured by a late Lukas Nmecha strike. Reflecting on the wider battle to stay up, Farke said: "We have proven that we can beat any side in this league. Each and every good result makes our belief stronger. We are on a good path, already on 25 points. Nothing is achieved yet, but we have a chance to definitely achieve our goals this season and stay in this league. All our focus is on earning the right to stay in this league. "

Farke also expects a demanding evening against Everton and praised the strength of the upcoming opponents. "It will be a very difficult task for us," Farke said. "As the manager of Leeds United, I don't like to praise the other clubs that much, but it is, of course, a club of huge potential. They have quality players, very ambitious signings, and a new stadium. David Moyes is doing a fantastic job. His teams always have a really good team spirit, togetherness. "

Everton vs Leeds United Premier League key players to watch

Without Grealish, Everton may look even more to James Garner, whose ball-winning work has stood out. Only three Premier League players have regained possession more times this season than Garner, who has 114 recoveries. Against Aston Villa, the midfielder recorded 14 possession wins, the most by any Everton player in a single league match since Amadou Onana managed the same figure against West Ham in March 2024.

Garner is also among five English players in this Premier League campaign to combine 20 or more tackles, at least 20 interceptions, and 20 or more chances created. That mixture of defensive numbers and creativity underlines why Garner becomes even more important while Grealish recovers.

Leeds United's attacking focus again centres on Lukas Nmecha, who scored the recent late winner against Fulham and also netted the deciding goal when Leeds beat Everton earlier this season. Nmecha averages a goal every 122 minutes in the Premier League, which ranks fourth among players with at least 500 minutes played.

Everton vs Leeds United Premier League stats and match prediction

History offers encouragement for Everton, who have lost only one of their last 16 home league meetings with Leeds, winning eight and drawing seven. That solitary defeat was a 1-0 loss in November 2020, and every one of those fixtures took place at Goodison Park, rather than at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Recent home form in the new ground has been less consistent. Everton have collected seven points from their last seven Premier League home matches there, with two wins, one draw and four defeats. Four of their last five league victories have come away, and five of their most recent six clean sheets have also been recorded on the road.

Even so, Everton's defensive record since the start of November has been strong in some respects. Over that period, Moyes' side have kept seven clean sheets, more than any other Premier League team. At the same time, they have allowed 184 shots, the fifth-highest total in the division, which suggests opponents still create frequent opportunities.

Leeds aim to complete a league double over Everton for the first time since the 1990-91 season. The club's last two away league wins against the Toffees both came as a promoted side, in August 1990 and November 2020. Between matchdays 14 and 22 this season, Leeds collected 14 points, with only five teams earning more, and only Liverpool losing fewer games, with one defeat for Farke's group.

However, Leeds United's away record in the current Premier League campaign remains a concern. They have taken six points on their travels, with one win, three draws and seven losses. Only Burnley, with five, and Wolves, with three, have gathered fewer away points. Leeds have conceded 24 away goals, a figure exceeded only by Bournemouth, with 30, and Burnley, with 27.

The Opta model still makes Everton favourites for this fixture, despite Grealish's injury and mixed home form at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The win probabilities are shown below.

Result	OPTA win probability
Everton win	52.4%
Draw	24.3%
Leeds United win	23.3%

With Everton adjusting to life without Grealish and Leeds seeking to confirm safety, the match brings together contrasting pressures. Everton's strong recent defensive record, balanced against Leeds' poor away numbers but rising confidence, sets up a contest where fine margins, key individual performances and small tactical details are likely to decide the outcome.