We kick off our 2026-27 Season Preview series with a look at the manager. David Moyes is into the last year of his current contract with the club, and it’ll be interesting to see how the club’s leadership view his performance this season, especially given how the Blues frittered away a chance at making Europe late last season.
David Moyes successfully navigated Everton away from relegation danger after his high-profile return to Goodison Park in January 2025. Replacing Sean Dyche with the club sitting
perilously in 16th place, Moyes engineered an immediate turnaround by boosting the team’s attacking metrics and defensive organization. Under his steady hand, the Toffees nearly doubled their goals per game and went on a stellar nine-match unbeaten streak, comfortably securing survival during their historic final campaign at Goodison Park.
The 2025/26 campaign brought a mixture of lofty European ambitions and late-season frustration during Everton’s inaugural year at their new stadium. Backed by marquee loan signing Jack Grealish and arrival Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Moyes initially had the team flying high, with a resounding 3-0 victory over Chelsea in March catapulting them to eighth place. However, the momentum completely evaporated in a brutal late-season collapse where the Toffees failed to win any of their remaining matches, sliding down to a mediocre 13th-place finish that left fans divided over his conservative tactics.
Ultimately, the triumphant return of Moyes in January 2024, combined with the atrocious start to the season under Dyche, Everton ended the season with 48 points. Last season, we ended the season with 49 points with Moyes in charge for all of it. Everyone focused on the last 7 games where we won only 3 points out of 21 but in the end, we were only one point better than the previous season which means that we were as bad as the Dyche/Moyes year.
Unquestionably, David Moyes came back and saved us from certain relegation. For that, myself and all Evertonians are thankful. Last year, after the brilliant start where we were competitive, the signings that had been made were sitting on the bench; Adam Aznou has still not made a Premier League start, Tyler Dibling didn’t get a sniff in the second half of the season, Harrison Armstrong was brought back from a loan move and used for a few games in Gueye’s absence.
Last season, David Moyes used fewer players than any other team in the Premier League. He complained about how small his squad was but he chose to leave these young players on the bench. Last season, players aged 21 or under featured for 1,088 minutes for the club last season, ranking Everton 17th in the Premier League in this department.
For me, I have been pleased to see the young players getting a chance in the preseason. New signing, Hayden Hackney, Dibling, George, Rohl, Armstrong and Aznou have all played a bigger part in the buildup to the new season. The big question is whether this continues when the season begins.
If we get more of the team that played so well against Lille and Newcastle then I will be happy. If Moyes chooses to sit the young talent again, I think we need to make a change and bring in someone who is ready to give the players of our future a chance to grow. We have more than enough quality in the team to look up, rather than another relegation battle. I will give Moyes the good grace to show that this old dog is willing to change and use the players that the new owners have spent a pretty penny to assemble.
Is David Moyes the right man? Bring on Palace and let us see if this is a new dawn or more of the same old same old. Ultimately, the Friedkin’s decision to offer him a new deal or not will depend on what they see to begin this season. Mr. Moyes, over to you.
