- Win over Chelsea was offset by heavy defeats, showing the team still finding its feet.
- Goodison Comparison: The Blues’ home record remains remarkably consistent.
- Everton’s form follows historical pattern seen at clubs during first year in new home.
Everton’s debut Premier League season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium is now nearing completion. While Evertonians have gradually acclimatised to their new home, the ultimate question remains: what has been the impact on the pitch?
Has the move improved Everton’s fortunes or is the club still finding its feet on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey?
Hill Dickinson teething troubles?
While there have been highs at their new home, such as the comprehensive victories against Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, there have also been undoubted lows for the Toffees. These have included the disappointing defeats at the hands of Spurs, Brentford and Newcastle United, and the laboured performances against relegation threatened clubs, including Leeds United, Wolves and West Ham.
The stats: comparing Hill Dickinson 2025/26 vs Goodison Park 2024/25
However, as the tables below illustrate, there is not a great deal of difference between Everton’s last season at Goodison Park and their latest one at Hill Dickinson. While fans can point to the fact that the squad improved in the summer and therefore the return should be better, for much of the campaign David Moyes’ starting XI hasn’t differed that much to the previous season.
Hill Dickinson 2025/26
| Metric | Record |
| Played | 18 |
| Wins | 6 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Losses | 7 |
| Home Points | 23 |
Goodison Park (2024/25)
| Metric | Record |
| Played | 19 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Draws | 9 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Home Points | 24 |
“New stadium curse”: How Arsenal, Spurs, Man City and West Ham handled the move
But what about other stadiums? Has Everton’s experience at Hill Dickinson differed much to other clubs who have moved into new home?
Several Premier League sides have followed a similar path to Everton and as the figures below illustrate, when compared to the previous season at their old grounds, new surroundings often disrupt a team’s home form.
The stadium transition: Home form comparison
| Club | Stadium | Season | W | D | L | Points |
| Arsenal | Highbury | 2005/06 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 45 |
| Emirates Stadium | 2006/07 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 42 | |
| Spurs | White Hart Lane | 2016/17 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 53 |
| Tottenham Stadium | 2019/20 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 39 | |
| West Ham | Boleyn Ground | 2015/16 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
| London Stadium | 2016/17 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 25 | |
| Man City | Maine Road | 2002/03 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 29 |
| Etihad Stadium | 2003/04 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 24 |
Reality Check: Why Everton’s transition hasn’t been a disaster
The data reveals a consistent “settling-in” period. In every single instance, the club experienced a performance dip immediately following their move.
- The Spurs slump: Tottenham went from an invincible final season at White Hart Lane (53 points) to dropping 14 points at their new home just two years later.
- The West Ham struggle: The Hammers saw their home losses nearly triple, moving from a formidable 3 losses at the Boleyn Ground to 8 at the London Stadium.
- The Arsenal exception: The Gunners managed the transition best, dropping only 3 points, though they struggled to turn draws into wins at the Emirates.
The takeaway for Everton:
By comparative and by the club’s own recent standards, Everton’s transition to Hill Dickinson hasn’t gone that badly. While some of the defeats have been disappointing and the loss of the first Derby threw some shade over the campaign, Evertonians should not feel too frustrated.
The ‘New Stadium Curse’ is clearly a statistical reality, but the club has navigated it well. With the settling-in period now behind them, the 2026/27 campaign will be the true litmus test for whether life on the banks of the Mersey can provide a genuine competitive advantage.
